Story By: Ernest Bio Bogore, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency:  Newsflash

A man has been sentenced to four months in prison for violating French lockdown rules eight times since they were introduced last week.

The unnamed defendant, said to be in his thirties, was sentenced in the city of Saint-Etienne in the eastern-central French region of Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, reportedly violated the country’s COVID-19 lockdown laws eight times.

According to the public prosecutor’s office, the man had already been placed on conditional release and he has been sent to the La Talaudiere prison for four months for “endangering the lives of others”.

Prosecutors also said that the defendant has a criminal record that includes 16 drug convictions, fare dodging, theft, receiving stolen goods and insulting behaviour.

In the same region, a 19-year-old man was also recently sentenced to four months in prison with two years suspended after being fined 10 times for breaking lockdown rules, according to local media.

According to reports, violation of the confinement rules is punishable by a fine of 135 EUR (122 GBP).

The fine increases to 1,500 EUR (1,381 GBP) for a repeat offence within 15 days.

In the case of four violations within 30 days, the offence is punishable by a fine of 3,700 EUR (3,407 GBP) and a maximum of six months’ imprisonment, according to local media.

Saint-Etienne public prosecutor David Charmatz said: “The creation of this offence is much quicker and automatic which helps to put the individuals concerned out of harm’s way.”

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