A 74-year-old woman has to pay £2,021 after she was convicted of breaking coronavirus travel regulations more than two years ago.

Virginia Marguerite York, of Pool Court, Pickering, was not present at Tameside Magistrates Court in Greater Manchester when her case was heard, nor was she represented by a solicitor.

The court heard that she arrived at Heathrow Airport on March 5, 2021, from Atlanta, Georgia in the United States.

At the time, coronavirus regulations required that travellers produce evidence they had booked Covid-19 testing packages for use on the second and eighth day after the arrival in the UK.

The prosecution told the court York did not produce such evidence.

She was found guilty in her absence and fined £1,760. She was also ordered to pay a £176 statutory surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.

On March 5, 2021, England was under full coronavirus lockdown. The British Government was strongly advising against foreign travel and the first Covid-19 vaccination rollout was under way.