Updated: 23 Apr 2021, 16:35
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A SALON owner has said she is happy to pay a £635 fine after breaking Covid rules to host a balloon release for her dad-in-law who died of the bug.
Vicki Hutchinson, 34, had faced a £10,000 fixed penalty for holding an illegal gathering of more than 30 people in November.
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Vicki Hutchinson, 34, had faced a £10,000 fixed penalty for holding an illegal gathering of more than 30 peopleCredit: PA
But that was reduced after she attended Peterlee Magistrates Court on Friday to admit the offence, based on her ability to pay.
On November 11, the mother-of-three had posted an invitation on her Facebook page for friends and family of Ian Stephenson to attend a balloon release on a field opposite the church where his funeral was due to take place in the following days.
We are not caged animals : Woman fined for lockdown balloon release tribute says she has no regrets gazettelive.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from gazettelive.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
By Press Association 2021
Vicki Hutchinson
A tanning salon owner has said she was happy to pay £635 for breaching coronavirus regulations by organising a balloon release in memory of her father-in-law who died after contracting Covid-19.
Vicki Hutchinson, 34, had faced a £10,000 fixed penalty for holding an illegal gathering of more than 30 people in November.
But that was reduced after she attended Peterlee Magistrates’ Court on Friday to admit the offence, based on her ability to pay.
On November 11, the mother-of-three had posted an invitation on her Facebook page for friends and family of Ian Stephenson to attend a balloon release on a field opposite the church where his funeral was due to take place in the following days.
Peterlee mum happy to pay £635 Covid fine after holding balloon release in father-in-law s memory chroniclelive.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from chroniclelive.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
A tanning salon owner was today fined £635 for breaching lockdown rules after a video showed dozens of people at a balloon release in memory of her father-in-law.
Vicki Hutchinson had faced a £10,000 fixed penalty for holding an illegal gathering of more than 30 people last November.
But that was reduced after the mother-of-three attended Peterlee Magistrates Court in County Durham to admit the offence.
The 34-year-old said outside court: When you lose someone, you don t think, do you? There will be some people who say you shouldn t have done it because we were in lockdown but I believe we should have the right to do things.