Frontline worker and husband fined €1,000 each for holding house party

A couple in Co Meath, one a front line worker, have been fined €1,000 each after holding a house party for 30 people in breach of Covid-19 regulations.

Juztyna Orkwiszewski and her husband Krsystof Orkwiszewski of The Glebe, Kells appeared at Trim District Court charged under the Health Act 1947 with breaching lockdown regulations on 16th May this year.

Sergeant Kevin Mooney told the court that gardaí visited the couple’s address and looked in a window and saw six people sitting at a table. On admission to the house they found 10 people inside, 10 more in the garden and a further 10 people upstairs. The only three people resident in the house were the accused and their young daughter.

Defending solicitor Miriam Regan said there had been a number of house parties in Kells on the same day. She acknowledged Ms Orkwiszewski was a front line worker and should have known better.

Some people had arrived in Ireland from Poland and had come to The Glebe “to say hello and goodbye”, she said. Ms Regan also said Ms Orkwiszewski was very concerned because her job was at risk.

Judge Cormac Dunne imposed a fine of €1,000 on each of the accused.

Separately, Leon Bond (19) Yellow Furze, Dunderry, Co Meath was fined €400 and James Colgan (21), Tobertynan, Rathmolyon, Co Meath was fined €1,200 for breaching Covid-19 regulations by travelling outside a 5km limit from their homes. The court heard that James Colgan had breached the regulations twice earlier this year.