DOZENS of people were convicted and fined for breaching coronavirus laws in Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and Shropshire last year, figures show.

The financial penalties have been criticised by campaign groups who also say many nationally did not get a fair hearing due to the introduction a fast-track court process.

Ministry of Justice data shows in 2020, there were 25 court prosecutions in the area served by West Mercia Police for breaches of restrictions introduced at the beginning of the pandemic.

They resulted in 25 convictions, with all leading to fines.

The largest number of fines – 16 – ranged from £300 to £500 while four convictions resulted in fines of between £500 and £750.

In total, £10,400 in fines were issued by the courts in West Mercia.

All the convictions were for breaches of emergency restrictions.

The figures detail all prosecution outcomes, so the same defendant could have been listed more than once.

The figures come amid criticism of the enforcement of coronavirus restrictions, in particular the use of a fast-track system which sees cases dealt with by a legal adviser and a single magistrate out of court.

This process, known as the single justice procedure, is aimed at reducing paperwork and freeing up court time, but in a report, the Joint Committee on Human Rights, MPs and peers said it meant defendants were unable provide any reasonable excuse for why they breached the law.

More than 1,000 defendants were tried for Covid offences using this fast-track process between July and September last year, the committee said.

Campaign groups including Fair Trials and Transform Justice have since sent a letter to the Government calling for the practice to be stopped.

The MoJ said the decision to use the single justice procedure lay with the prosecutor.

A spokesperson said: "The single justice procedure allows those who plead guilty to low-level, non-imprisonable crimes to resolve their case without going to court – it would not be used for more serious offences.

"All defendants can request an open hearing and have their conviction voiced and reheard if necessary."

The MoJ figures also show men were more likely to be convicted of breaching Covid laws in West Mercia last year – in 19 of the 25 convictions where the sex and age were recorded, the defendant was male.

People aged between 30 and 39 accounted for the largest proportion of convictions.