Half of coronavirus fines go unpaid in England and Wales

Penalties issued by police will have to be dealt with by already backlogged courts

Half the fines issued by police for breaches of coronavirus rules in England and Wales have not been paid and will be dealt with by the already beleaguered courts, it has been revealed.

By 22 September, 18,646 enforcement letters for payment of a fixed penalty notice (FPN) had been issued but 9,413 had not been paid and will be referred for prosecution in the courts, the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) said.