Top cop slams selfish New Year’s Eve revellers who ‘decided partying was more important than protecting lives’
A TOP cop today slammed New Year's Eve ravers who "decided partying was more important than protecting other people".
While millions stayed home to stop the spread of the deadly bug, hundreds of Brits ignored the rules and joined illegal parties in Birmingham, Essex, Manchester and London.
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London alone saw cops called out to 58 unlicenced music events - fining 217 people along with five others reported for possible £10,000 fines.
In one New Year's Eve bash in Sewardstonebury, Essex, more than 100 revellers were filmed drinking and partying - with a flame thrower even seen spinning a baton on fire during the Covid-breaking celebrations.
A woman has since been fined £10,000 for organising the house party.
Essex Police confirmed in their district alone more than £18,000 fines were handed out to flouters - with revellers even pelting cops with objects as one party at a church in Thorndon Park was broken up.
Just two weeks ago, Essex was named as a Covid hotspot with cases in Thurrock nearly trebling in seven days.
Assistant Chief Constable Andy Prophet said: "Unfortunately, there were others who decided to blatantly flout the coronavirus rules and regulations and, ultimately, they decided that partying was more important than protecting other people."
And Met Police Commander Paul Brogden added: "If people insist on gathering and breaching regulations, then officers will attend and encourage people to disperse."
Other illegal raves sprang up across the country as revellers risked the chance of being hit with a £10,000 fine for flouting the Covid lockdown rules.
Crowds gathered along London's Southbank as well as in Kensington, West London, Nottingham and Leeds despite the NHS being left overwhelmed by patients with one doctor warning those who didn't wear a mask had "blood on their hands".
In Manchester, more than 100 fines were issued over New Year's Eve as cops were called to gatherings including a basement party and a rave in a flat.
The selfish flouters headed to parties despite coronavirus still ripping across the country with more than 55,000 cases recorded in just one day yesterday.
West Midlands Police logged more than 300 gatherings reported in Birmingham before midnight.
And in Humberside, cops broke up a house party with 40 people in Hull along with eight adults and several kids at a Cleethorpes home.
Cops break up New Year's Eve gatherings up and down the country
DESPITE the coronavirus regulations, some people still decided to gather at parties for New Year's Eve.
Cops were out in force across the country.
In London, 217 people were issued fixed penalty fines, while five people have been reported for consideration for a possible £10,000 fine for organising large gatherings of people
Four people were arrested for breaching Covid regulations after gathering in central London.
In Manchester, more than 100 Fixed Penalty Notices were issued for Covid breaches.
In Essex, more than £18,000 in organiser fines and fixed penalty notices were handed out overnight.
In Northamptonshire, cops were called to more than 100 reports of Covid breaches. More than 150 £200 fixed penalty notices were issued across the county.
Cleveland police received 200 calls about Covid breaches, attending a house party in Middlesbrough with more than 20 people present.
Assistant Chief Constable Chris Noble said: "We know this year and the festive period has been different than any of us wanted and how difficult it has been for all of us being unable to celebrate with our loved ones.
“However, we all have a responsibility to do the right thing and protect each other, in order to stop the spread of the virus, protect our hospitals from becoming overwhelmed and save lives.
“We are all hoping that 2021 will bring an end to this pandemic and a return to normality but in order to do that, we need to do our bit for a little bit longer."
Meanwhile in scenes of violence, two men were stabbed and a woman suffered head injuries on Edgware Road in London just after midnight.
Strict Covid rules meant there was none of the usual New Year's Eve celebrations.
London's annual fireworks celebrations were cancelled, but displays could still be seen in the night sky once the clock hit midnight.
Pubs and restaurants are shut across the nation as 20million people went into Tier 4, meaning no mixing is allowed outside of household or support bubbles.
Streets in Central London were left empty on Thursday night, with usually-bustling areas in the capital eerily quiet.
Central city areas - usually hubs of mass celebrations at this time of year - are deserted across the UK.
Publicans across the country have been forced to tip kegs full of beer down the drain, as almost all pubs in the UK will be closed for New Year's.
Cops had earlier warned the public they will be fining people breaking the rules by meeting up with others on New Year's Eve- starting with £100 and rising to £10,000 for people having parties.
Areas in London with the highest rates of Covid cases would be the focus of patrols.
Yet despite the strict rules, it was revealed a string of illegal New Year’s Eve raves had been secretly planned across Tier 4 London.
Thousands of people were expected to attend the events which could send Covid spreading even faster through the capital.
Coronavirus cases continue to soar as a mutant strain of the bug sweeps across the UK.
On Thursday, Britain saw its highest ever daily rise in cases with 55,892 infections reported in the past 24 hours.
A further 964 deaths were recorded, bringing the total number of fatalities to 73,512.
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The rise in cases means a total of 2,488,780 Brits have now been infected with the bug.
Thursday's rise in deaths is only slightly smaller than yesterday’s figure of 981 - the highest daily toll since April - amid fears that the high toll may not be a lag in reporting, as was thought yesterday.