WEST Yorkshire Police handed out thousands of fines for breaches of Covid-related laws – including dozens of fines for holding large gatherings.

Human rights advocacy group Liberty said communities have been subjected to disproportionate and harmful policing while staff at Number 10 have been "attending drinks parties".

Figures published by the National Police Chiefs' Council show 5,097 fixed penalty notices were issued by West Yorkshire Police between March 27, 2020, and December 19 last year.

Of these, 381 were recorded from May 17, 2021, when different households were allowed to mix indoors for the first time following several months of lockdown – more than almost any other police force.

Across England and Wales, 124,581 fines have been issued by the 43 police forces, British Transport Police and Ministry of Defence for alleged breaches of Covid-19-related laws since the pandemic began.

Liberty said the Government has given police "blunt and coercive powers to enforce lockdowns", when it should have been prioritising public health.

Jun Pang, Liberty policy and campaigns officer, said: "Throughout the pandemic we have seen over-zealous policing, leaving people confused and fearful of prosecution.

“The discrepancies in these regional figures show restrictions were unclear, leaving it up to local police forces to interpret the law. Clearly, this opened the door to inconsistency and discrimination."

The Government has recently come under fire following a series of reports on parties at Number 10 Downing Street while the rest of the UK was under restrictions.

Of the FPNs issued across England and Wales, 377 were for holding a gathering of more than 30 people – with 39 in West Yorkshire.

Ms Pang added: "Now we know while some communities were being subjected to disproportionate and harmful policing and locked out of support, those in power were attending drinks parties at Number 10.”

A NPCC spokesman said all forces first seek to engage and explain Covid laws to people, and only enforce them when necessary.

Assistant Chief Constable Owen Weatherill, NPCC lead for Operation Talla, the police response to the pandemic, said there are some restrictions – such as use of face coverings and self-isolation rules – in place for good reason.

He added: “We have observed very high compliance by the public.

"Officers have very rarely had to use their powers in recent months, only enforcing where there are clear breaches of the rules or people haven't responded to explanation and encouragement.”