Man fined £6,000 for visiting hairdresser when he was supposed to be self-isolating

A man has been ordered to pay £6,000 for breaching the coronavirus lockdown by visiting a hair salon.

Gareth Le Monnier, 37, was ordered to self-isolate upon arrival in Guernsey on Friday 3 July but visited a Toni & Guy hair salon.

He had travelled from his home in Jersey to see his wife and was subject to a mandatory 14-day self- isolation.

Customs officers told him on arrival he was bound under the Emergency Powers Law to self-isolate until one minute past midnight on July 17.

Two days before his self-isolation period ended, however, he visited the salon and also went to a Waitrose cafe.

Guernsey Magistrates Court heard that his breaches were uncovered when he was not at home when a welfare check was made at his registered address on 16 July.

Le Monnier admitted two breaches over two consecutive days and was fined £3,000 for each.

Judge Graeme McKerrell said the defendant had knowingly and deliberately put his own needs before that of the wider public good.

He also ordered the fine would have to be paid in full before he would be released from custody.

He added: "The defendant has selfishly put his needs above those of the public.

"Working out when a period of 14 days expires is not rocket science."

The judge said it was the interest of the wider public good which had to prevail and there had to be significant penalties in order to deter others who might consider doing the same.

He added the defendant might have been asymptomatic, but that did not mean that he could not be carrying the disease and passing it on to other people.

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