Coronavirus: 1 in 30 people have reported lockdown breaches to police, ONS stats show

One in 30 people have reported lockdown breaches to police in England and Wales during the coronavirus pandemic.

A survey by the Office for National Statistics found that just over half of the public had noticed people violating restrictions in their area.

But of those, only 7 per cent reported the breach to the police.

When asked why they did not report the incident, a third of people said they thought it was “too trivial” and 10 per cent believed the police could not have done anything.

More than 18,600 fines have been given out by police in England and Wales under the Health Protection Regulations, but the number issued has fallen as lockdown was eased.

Last month, the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council said the remaining restrictions - including a ban on private gatherings of more than 30 people - were important.

Martin Hewitt added: “Police will continue to engage, explain, encourage and only as a last resort will we use enforcement.

“We all need to continue to be personally responsible and follow the rules, whether that be around face masks in shops or very large gatherings. By following the rules we are all doing our bit to prevent the virus spreading.”

The ONS survey showed that more than two thirds of people gave police a positive rating during coronavirus, with half saying they were doing a good job and a fifth saying they were doing an “excellent job”.

More than 90 per cent of people said they were satisfied with the way local police were responding to the coronavirus outbreak and the survey showed support for new powers, including fines.

New laws have also been introduced to enforce local lockdowns, the wearing of masks on public transport, shops and other indoor premises, as well as quarantine for travellers arriving in England.