Salon owner, 35, is fined £1,760 for offering hair and beauty treatments during Covid lockdown as CCTV shows client fleeing with hair dye still on her roots during police raid
A salon owner has been fined £1,760 over a lockdown raid when customers fled from the business - including one with hair dye still on her head.
Tina Howarth, 35, secretly kept her salon open to treat lockdown locks and offer beauty treatments.
Her customers fled when police raided the business after getting a tip-off that it was still open on January 16.
Euphoria Tanning, Nail and Beauty in Cwmbran, South Wales, remained open despite level 4 coronavirus restrictions. The salon had received a previous fixed penalty notice in June last year. On January 16, Gwent Police raided the business after receiving a tip-off that there were customers inside
A woman can be seen running from the salon with a protective cape on her shoulders and treatment still on her roots
Eight customers fled when police gained entry to the business. Three customers were identified and also received fixed penalty notices, according to Gwent Police
A court heard CCTV captured the moment eight people ran from Euphoria Tanning, Nail and Beauty in Cwmbran, South Wales.
In the video, six women and two men are seen fleeing the salon.
One woman wears a protective cape covering her shoulders and has treatment still on her roots.
Howarth, of Pontypool, was ordered to pay a £1,760 fine, a £176 surcharge and costs of £85 for failing to close a business “not permitted to be open” under Alert Level 4 coronavirus.
On Monday, Magistrates in Newport heard there was no answer when officers tried to get inside as the customers escaped through the fire exit on January 16.
Officers found the tanning beds had recently been used and beauty treatments had been taking place.
Customers escaped through the fire exit while police was denied access to the salon. When officers finally gained entry, they discovered the tanning beds had recently been used and beauty treatments had been taking place
Howarth now has until August 16 to pay the £2,021 balance.
Three customers were identified and received fixed penalty notices, according to Gwent Police.
Speaking at the time of the incident, councillor Mandy Owen, of Torfaen council, said: “It’s clear from the camera footage obtained following the latest visit that the business and customers were aware they were breaking lockdown restrictions putting themselves, others and the NHS at risk.
“This is the second time the business has been issued with a fixed penalty notice. Public Protection Officers issued the first fixed penalty notice in June 2020. This is very disappointing.”
Howarth was ordered to pay a £4,000 fine in 2016 for offering tooth whitening services without any dental qualifications, according to ITV News.