FINES and costs of almost £2,000 have been handed down to dozens of Cumbrians who flouted national coronavirus rules by joining illegal gatherings.

Defendants included people from Barrow who took part in illegal gatherings in the town.

Other defendants included one woman who was caught at a meeting inside a Carlisle area church, where an estimated 30 people from 18 different households were gathered in defiance of the rules.

Most defendants - dealt with by Carlisle’s Rickergate Magistrates’ Court - were given large fines.

They included:

* Melissa Heslop, 25, of Atkinson Crescent, Carlisle: Fined £1,760 with £85 costs for participating in an illegal gathering at Steamer Street, Barrow, on January 16.

* William Downie Mason, 21, of Lime Kiln Walk, Barrow: Fined £1,760 with £85 costs for participating in an illegal gathering at Hartington Street, Barrow, on March 6. The gathering was a house party, at which there were six other people, the court heard.

* Christopher Murphy, 41, of Emlyn Street, Barrow: : Fined £1,760 with £85 costs for participating in an illegal gathering at Rawlinson Street, Barrow, on February 3.

* Laura O’Shea, 41, of Clifford Street, Barrow: : Fined £1,760 with £85 costs for participating in an illegal gathering at Kepple Street, Barrow, on New Year’s Day.

* Pauline Duglas, 26, of Adephi Court, Barrow: Fined £1,760 with £85 costs.

Convicted of participating in an illegal gathering at Rawlinson Street, Barrow, on February 3.

* Brooke Nicole Hartley, 21, of Devon Street, Barrow: Fined £1,760 with £85 costs for participating in an illegal gathering in Devon Street, Barrow, on March 5. The gathering was in her home address, the court heard.

* Kate Mounsey, 36, of Honeypot Lane, Darlington: Fined £1,760 with £85 costs. She participated in an illegal gathering in Carlisle on February 9 - at St James Church, Cummersdale, near Carlisle. Records say there were 30 females (adults and youths) at the gathering from 18 households. (The church was sold to a private buyer before the pandemic began).

* Antony Coulthard, 39, of Shadygrove Road, Raffles, Carlisle: Fined £1,760 with £85 costs. He was convicted of joining an illegal gathering at Marks Avenue, Raffles, on March 28, in breach of covid regulations.

* Alin Gagiu, 36, of Thomson Street, Carlisle: Fined £1,760 with £85 costs for participating in an illegal gathering at 10pm on February 27 at his home. This was a house party with 11 other people present, the court heard.

* Casey Gray, 23, of Weardale Road, Carlisle: : Fined £1,760 with £85 costs for participating in an illegal gathering at Stonegarth in a private dwelling.

* Mark Lansdowne, 52, of Highfield Avenue, Carlisle: : Fined £1,760 with £85 costs for participating in an illegal gathering on March 17 at his address.

* Anouska Chantelle Mary Hoskins, 29, of Newtown Meadows, Carlisle: : Fined £1,760 with £85 costs for participating in an illegal gathering in Coney Street, Carlisle, on February 6.

* Charlotte Stephanie Fry, 32, of Victoria Road, Penrith: Fined £1,760 with £85 costs for participating in an illegal gathering in Victoria House, Victoria Road, Penrith, on February 19.

* Darren Jacques, 39, of Hutton Hill, Penrith: Fined £1,760 with £85 costs for participating in an illegal gathering at Victoria House, Penrith, on February 19.

* Kevin Liam John Roberts, 20, of Baird Road, Carlisle: Fined £1,760 with £85 costs. Convicted of participating in an illegal gathering on February 16 at Lindisfarne Street, Carlisle.

* Gary David Small, 36, of Aglionby Street, Carlisle: Fined £1,760 with £85 costs. Convicted of participating in an illegal gathering on January 22 at Lindisfarne Court, Carlisle. There were five people present.

* Andrew Gordon Sutherland, 36, of Lindisfarne Street, Carlisle: Fined £1,760 with £85 costs. Convicted of participating in an illegal gathering at St John’s Court, Close Street, with two other people at 11am.

* Jodie Teale, 23, of Clay Street, Workington: Fined £1,760 with £85 costs. Convicted of participating in an illegal gathering in her home on January 23 - a party with four people.

* Mark George Braydon Warner, 23, of Lindisfarne Street, Carlisle: Fined £1,760 with £85 costs. Convicted of participating in an illegal gathering at his address on February 16.

* Eren Turgay Zhini, 37, of Carleton Road, Penrith: Fined £320 with £85 costs for participating in an illegal gathering on February 22. He admitted the offence.