Instant fine for student caught out on Instagram

A MANCHESTER student has been fined £6,600 after being caught breaching self-isolation rules, the student was caught out on Instagram after posting pictures of herself eating out during what should have been a self-isolation period.

 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 at El Tico restaurant in St Ouen’s Bay, where she shared a pictured to her social media.

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

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.

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.

Carys, 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 jail time.

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.’