A GREEN MSP has lodged a formal complaint with the police asking them to investigate whether Dominic Cummings broke the law by driving to a beauty spot during the lockdown.
Andy Wightman has asked Durham Constabulary to probe whether the Prime Minister’s top aide acted unlawfully by making a 60-mile round trip to Barnard Castle on April12.
The Scottish Police Federation accused the MSP of generating “bureaucratic nonsense”.
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Mr Cummings said on Monday that he had made the trip to test whether his eyesight was good enough for him to drive from his family’s farm in Dunham back to London.
He had been self-isolating with his wife and child at the farm after leaving London in late March, arguing he had not been able to get childcare in the capital.
In his letter to the police, Mr Green said he noted the force had decided to take no action against Mr Cummings in relation to his 260-mile trip from London to Durham.
However he said that still left open the matter of the Barnard Castle trip, given emergency Covid regulations stipulate it is an offence to leave home without a reasonable excuse.
He said: “I understand that Police spoke to Mr Cummings in relation to him leaving his home in London. Thus, as I understand it, no further action is proposed by Durham Police in relation to that incident.
“However, having been spoken to by Police, Mr Cummings then left the place where he was living and drive to Barnard Castle. His stated reason was to test his eyesight.
“My complaint is that… he left the place he was living once again for an admitted reason which does not appear to me to be a reasonable excuse.
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“If this is the case, he committed an offence under Regulation 6 [of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020].”
An offence under the regulations is punishable by a fixed penalty of £60.
Precisely what Durham constabulary doesn’t need. Another email that adds not a grain of influence to their activities. It does however mean than a chain of bureaucratic nonsense will be kicked off that distracts from the policing of Durham. https://t.co/FXCnag12EZ
— Calum Steele (@CalumA_Steele) May 26, 2020
Scottish Police Federation Calum Steele tweeted in response: “Precisely what Durham constabulary doesn’t need. Another email that adds not a grain of influence to their activities.
“It does however mean than a chain of bureaucratic nonsense will be kicked off that distracts from the policing of Durham.”
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