A RYEDALE man who travelled to London against Covid restrictions has been ordered to pay more than £800.

Ionut-Daniel Dudea, 30, was flagging down members of the public on the M11 near Harlow at 8.32am on March 23 to help him continue his illegal journey, Chelmsford Magistrates Court heard.

The country was locked down, and he lived in Hurdle Close, Norton, more than 200 miles away.

The magistrate dealing with his case said Dudea had travelled to London from York with people he didn’t live with to collect another person.

“This was not essential travel,” the court decision said.

Dudea did not attend his trial for breaching coronavirus restrictions, but was convicted in his absence.

He was fined £660 and ordered to pay £90 prosecution costs and a £66 statutory surcharge, giving him a total bill of £816.

The court heard the vehicle the York party were with had broken down on the M11 at Harlow and they were seen flagging down other motorists to give them a lift in the morning of March 23.