A 20-year-old man has been fined for gathering in Halesowen contrary to coronavirus restrictions.

Lewis George admitted gathering in an outdoor area of Asda in the Cornbow Centre in contravention of restrictions to stop the spread of covid.

He appeared at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on Wednesday November 17 where he was fined £240 and was ordered to pay a victim services fund surcharge of £34 and costs of £95.

Court documents show the offence was committed on March 5 this year when Halesowen was in Tier 4 restrictions.

It states that George, of Queens Road, Smethwick, "without reasonable excuse and other than as permitted by the Regulations, participated in a gathering in the Tier 4 area of West Midlands, taking place in an outdoor place other than a public outdoor place as defined in paragraph 4(4) of Schedule 3A to the Regulations, namely Asda Cornbow, Halesowen."

It goes on to state that the gathering consisted of more than two people and that the "defendant's guilty plea was taken into account when imposing sentence."