Coronavirus Scotland: Three people are charged with assaulting police

Three people have been charged with assaulting police after officers entered a family’s home because they were told there were ‘too many people inside’.

Two police officers knocked on a door in Aberdeen at 11.20pm on Wednesday after a member of the public reported a breach of coronavirus restrictions.

Gatherings are banned in the UK to ease pressure on the NHS as the number of coronavirus cases continue to rise.

Footage shared online showed a police officer standing inside the hallway of a home as a woman was held back by another man.

She said: ‘My house. That is bullying. This is my house. Get out of my house. I did not ask you in here.’

A young boy can be seen in the video as the woman’s daughter said: ‘Just stop it mum’.

Two women, aged 18 and 48, and a 43-year-old man were charged in connection with assaulting police officers and threatening and abusive behaviour, according to Police Scotland.

A spokesman added: ‘We received a complaint from a member of the public regarding a breach of coronavirus regulations at a property in Aberdeen, around 11.20pm on Wednesday, 6 January, 2021. 

Footage shared online showed a police officer standing inside the hallway of a home as a woman was held back by another man

Two women, aged 18 and 48, and a 43-year-old man were charged in connection with assaulting police officers and threatening and abusive behaviour, according to Police Scotland

‘Officers attended and two women (aged 18 and 48) and a 43-year-old man were charged in connection with assaulting police officers and threatening and abusive behaviour and will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.’ 

Police officers are legally allowed to enter Britons’ homes if ‘that person reasonably suspects that an offence under regulation 5(1) is taking place on the premises,’ according to legislation. 

Leaving the house in Scotland is now illegal after the country was thrown back into lockdown. The hardline crackdown, announced by Nicola Sturgeon, includes the legally enforceable stay-at-home rule. 

Her deputy, John Swinney, confirmed police will take enforcement action on those breaking the rules.

John Swinney, MSP Deputy First Minister and Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon

He said: ‘There will be restrictions for a substantial period. We’ve set out our position for the course of January and we came to that conclusion because of the words you quoted from the First Minister.

‘We are more concerned about the situation in Scotland than we have been at any stage in the pandemic so far. That’s come about because of the acceleration of the virus as a consequence of the new variant.

‘We’ve had to take these measures, we very much regret that we’ve had to take these steps and we appreciate the burden that this places on individuals within society but it’s the right thing to do to protect the public’. 

Exercise and essential journeys are the only reasons people are allowed to leave their homes.  

Rules on outdoor gatherings were also tightened to allow a maximum of just two people from two households to meet. 

Mr Swinney told Sky News: ‘You know, the police are not going around individual house checking on individuals, nor are they stopping cars routinely on the street for weather or not journeys are essential.

‘But the fact this has been put into law is an important indication of the seriousness we need people to take and we need them to follow.

‘If people follow these restrictions, we will be successful as we were in the spring of last year in significantly reducing the prevalence of the virus.’

He continued: ‘Having said that, Police Scotland are taking enforcement action, there was action taken on a very significant scale the other day in relation to people clearly flouting the regulations and it’s important that Police Scotland take that action when they judge operationally that’s the right thing to do.’ 

Some 52,618 positive coronavirus tests were reported today, along with 1,162 daily deaths.