DORSET Police have not fined anyone for breaking coronavirus restrictions in the last month, new figures show.

With just over 150 more fines issued across England and Wales, the chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council said a small minority of people are not following the rules and putting lives at risk.

Data published by the NPCC shows 843 fixed penalty notices were issued by Dorset Police between March 27 and September 21 – a figure which has been revised down from the 844 initially reported as of August 17.

In total, 18,912 lockdown fines have been issued in England and Wales so far, though just 151 of these occurred in the five weeks to September 21.

NPCC chairman Martin Hewitt said: “It is crucial that people do everything they can, including limiting social contact, to reduce the spread of coronavirus. The country is at a critical point, and personal choices will matter in the weeks and months to come.

“Thank you to the vast majority of the public for sticking to the rules and following the guidance in place to limit the spread of the virus.

“A small minority, however, are not following the rules, and are making decisions which put lives at risk – they should expect to have enforcement action taken against them.”

Police forces can issue a £60 penalty, reduced to £30 if paid within two weeks, for breaches of the lockdown rules – but just half of the fines handed out in England and Wales so far have been paid.

Separate data published by the NPCC shows no fines have yet been recorded by Dorset Police for people failing to self-isolate after returning from a country on the Government’s quarantine list.

Just 38 of these fines have been issued across England and Wales, but NPCC figures showed hundreds of travellers suspected of breaking quarantine rules had not been traced.

Up to September 22, 4,114 cases were referred to police by health authorities.

Of these, 240 people were found not to live at the address they had given, and in 440 cases there was no answer when officers attended an address.

The vast majority (3,216 cases) were found to be complying with self-isolation rules, but 218 were in breach and were spoken to by officers to encourage them to comply.

NPCC chairman Martin Hewitt admitted there is no “foolproof system” to stop people flouting the rules and that stretched forces would not get into a “manhunt scenario” to find people who are not following the rules.

He said: “We have to be reliant that most people will be responsible, will accept that personal responsibility and will be sensible, but equally, there also has to be a response that is proportionate.

“It also has to be something that’s within the capacity of the service to deliver against when we have all the other demands that we have.”

Dorset police have also not given out any fines to people for failing to wear a face covering on public transport or in shops, with 89 elsewhere in England and Wales.