Coronavirus UK: Student fined £6,600 for failing to quarantine

Student, 22, is fined £6,600 for breaking Covid rules after posting picture of herself eating out on Instagram

  • Carys Ann Ingram, 22, from Jersey, visited restaurants while ‘quarantined’
  • The student, studying in Manchester,  flew to Jersey from the city on October 12
  • She pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching self-isolation with £6,600 fine

A student has been fined £6,600 after being caught breaching self-isolation rules by posting a picture of herself eating out on Instagram. 

Carys Ann Ingram, 22, failed to quarantine on arrival to Jersey from Manchester, visiting a restaurant, a friend’s house, and shopping, a court heard.

She was seen in the seafront area of First Tower of the island and then at El Tico restaurant in St Ouen’s Bay, where she shared a pictured to her social media.

Ingram flew into Jersey on a flight from Manchester to visit family on October 12 and failed to isolate until she had received a second negative test, which was due to be taken on day five.

Carys Ann Ingram, 22, failed to quarantine on arrival to Jersey from Manchester, visiting a restaurant, a friend’s house, and shopping, a court heard

Three days after arriving from the city, which at the time was an amber zone, she was caught shopping in St Helier in her first breach.

It was later found that someone sitting near her on the flight had tested positive, and so she was contacted and told she must self-isolate and would have to undergo a further test eight days after her arrival.

The authorities made a number of attempts to contact her at her home address but they got no answer.

The El Tico restaurant in St Ouen's Bay, where Ingram shared a pictured to her social media

The El Tico restaurant in St Ouen’s Bay, where Ingram shared a pictured to her social media

Locals and tourists in pavement cafes and artisan shops in Halkett Street by St Helier Central Market in Jersey, Channel Isles (before covid-19 times)

Locals and tourists in pavement cafes and artisan shops in Halkett Street by St Helier Central Market in Jersey, Channel Isles (before covid-19 times)

She was caught breaching the regulations four times – when out shopping, out for a meal at a restaurant, visiting a friend’s house, and not being at home when the enforcement team visited her. 

Ingram, of Salford was finally reached by phone by the Contact Tracing Team and subsequently arrested.

She pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching self-isolation regulations and was fined a total of £6,600, a fine of £600 for the first breach and £6000 for the subsequent three – with the alternative of 24 weeks imprisonment.

First Tower, Jersey, where Ingram was seen breaching the covid-19 quarantine rules

First Tower, Jersey, where Ingram was seen breaching the covid-19 quarantine rules

The Strategic Lead for Contact Tracing, Monitoring and Enforcement, Caroline Maffia, said: ‘It is regrettable that someone should endanger the health of other Islanders after being informed of the need to self-isolate.

‘This fine demonstrates that we will pursue prosecution for those found flouting the law. Anyone identified as a direct contact of a COVID positive person must understand the importance of following public health advice and abiding by the law.’