A total of three people yesterday admitted breaches of Covid-19 curfew regulations.

Clarence Simons, 71, pleaded guilty in Magistrates’ Court to a breach of the earlier midnight to 5am lockdown.

The court heard that around 1.30am on January 25 police pulled over a car on Warwick’s South Road.

Simons told the court he did not realise he was out past curfew.

He added: “I had an emergency and had to do laundry for my grandchildren for school.”

Simons, from Warwick, said that he wanted to help his daughter with laundry and wash clothes at his house – but lost track of time and left after curfew.

He added: “In no way was I trying to flout the law – that was far from my mind.”

Simons asked for the case to be discharged or for a community service order.

But magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo said that the incident was serious.

He added: “These are critical times – we’re living in a pandemic and you have to be mindful of your movements.

“This is to protect your health and the health of others.”

Mr Tokunbo adjourned the case until June 17 to see if Simons was suitable for community service and released him on $3,000 bail.

Joaquin Smith, 36, also pleaded guilty to a breach of the midnight to 5am curfew.

Police stopped Smith’s car on South Road in Paget around 12.40am on January 17.

He told officers: “I just finished dropping my friends off and was heading home.”

Elizabeth Christopher, for the defence, asked the court for leniency because Smith had tried to be responsible and help his friends but “miscalculated” how much time he had.

Mr Tokunbo fined Smith, from Smiths, $2,000 and gave him until May 31 to pay.

Marcus Rush, 24, was also fined $2,000 after he admitted a breach of the midnight to 5am curfew.

The court heard that police stopped Rush on White Sands Road in Paget on January 28 just nine minutes after curfew began.

Rush, from Sandys, told the court that he fell asleep while at his girlfriend’s home and had to lost track of time.

He added: “It was an honest mistake.”

Mr Tokunbo gave Rush until May 31 to pay his fine.

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