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Glasgow Live
Glasgow Live
National
Holly Lennon

Glasgow police made just one arrest for breaking face-covering laws in over a year

Only one arrest was made in Glasgow for not wearing a face-covering in the first 16 months of the pandemic.

Figures released by Police Scotland show high levels of public compliance with the measure which became mandatory in shops in July 2020.

By October that year, everyone over the age of 12 began having to wearing a face-covering, unless exempt, in most indoor places by law.

Police officers were given the ability to issue fixed penalty notices to people not wearing face coverings.

Between March 2020 and November 2021, only one person was arrested for not adhering to the rules in Glasgow South West. Two warnings were also dished out to people in the same area.

The highest number of fixed penalty notices were handed out in the East End with five people being fined. Only one fixed penalty notice was issued in Glasgow South East and Glasgow North East.

In Paisley, one arrest was made and four warnings were given to people not adhering to the rules.

Most arrests under the law were made in West Dumbartonshire with three people being lifted by police for non-compliance and two more issued with penalties. Two more people were fined in Motherwell, Wishaw, and Bellshill.

Speaking at the time, Nicola Sturgeon accepted that the rule might not be easy to police, saying officers would act "very proportionately and sensitively".

Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Mark Sutherland said: "The vast majority of the public have complied with the regulations throughout the pandemic and taken responsibility to do the right thing to stop the spread of the virus.

"Our approach has remained consistent throughout. Officers have engaged with the public to explain the legislation and encourage compliance, using enforcement powers as a last resort.

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