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Daily Record
Daily Record
Entertainment
Stephen Houston

County town is the eighth wildest in Scotland for lockdown parties

Renfrew has recorded the eighth highest number of illegal lockdown parties in Scotland.

Officers were called out to break up a total of 84 boozy bashes.

Surprisingly, the figure was above that of its larger neighbour.

Paisley recorded 66 callouts - which made it the tenth highest party hotspot in the country.

The figures - put together by BBC Scotland data journalist Marc Ellison - spanning the period August 28 to November 22.

It was on August 28 that Scottish police were given the power to break-up parties in homes.

And they showed that in the first week of the party restrictions, Renfrewshire police did not issue any fines.

Police had stressed they were taking a “softly, softly” approach and would ask people to comply.

But fines were then issued every week, climaxing in the week to November 22 when 25 fines were imposed.

The fixed penalties are £30, doubling to £60 if not paid, and repeat offenders can be fined up to £960.

In some weeks up to 25 fines were issued to party-goers.

In Scotland police were alerted to 4,879 gatherings and have given out more than 2,000 fines.

Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham said: “Where officers encounter wilful and persistent breaches they will act decisively to enforce the law - this includes consideration of serious charges including culpable and reckless conduct.”

Local officers went to a Renfrewshire address where they gave fines to two party-goers who had previously been issued with a warning

At the mid-November point, 68 per cent of house parties had taken place in council areas under tier three restrictions, and 28% in tier two areas.

The greatest number of parties broken up is in Glasgow North West with a total of 410.

The South East of Edinburgh had the second highest on 247.  

The Hamilton area had 95 and Cumbernauld and Monklands 81.

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