Illegal rave equipment supplier fined £4,000
Around 3,000 people attended the rave in South Wales and three arrests were made
The equipment supplier for an illegal rave that took place in Banwen, South Wales, last summer has been fined £4,000.
Around 3,000 were reported to have attended the illegal gathering, where at least eight organisers were served with fixed penalty fine notices for up to £10,000 and three arrests were made.
Police said the event was “totally unacceptable” and criticised the “irresponsible” actions of attendees. Drone footage was used to identify organisers.
Read this next: Police issue £16,000 in fines following railway arch illegal rave in East London
Nigel Harris, who is from Lewes, East Sussex, admitted to supplying the equipment to the unlicensed event in the Brecon Beacons.
The Swansea Magistrates’ Court heard that he believed the equipment was for a 21st birthday party that would not be in breach of lockdown regulations.
Harris has three months to pay the £4,000 fine, and was also ordered to pay an additional £200 in court costs and a £190 victim surcharge.
Read this next: Bristol illegal rave teen claims “raves aren't anti-lockdown, they're anti-capitalism"
The Banwen illegal rave started just two days after the Welsh government introduced tougher penalties for organisers of illegal raves.
At the time, Health Minister Vaughan Gething said the penalty "reflects the potentially serious public health consequences".
He added: "Illegal gatherings put people's health needlessly at risk.
"The changes to the regulations we are introducing give the police new powers to stop these events taking place."
Read this next: Will music festivals actually happen this year?
Following last summer’s ban on outdoor gatherings of more than 30 people, demand for festivals this summer is said to be at an “all time high”.
UK MC Inja recently told Sky News he'll "break out in tears" during his first gig without social distancing restrictions.
[Via: BBC]
Patrick Hinton is Mixmag's Digital Features Editor, follow him on Twitter
Read this next: Get the best of Mixmag direct to your Facebook DMs