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Dominic Cummings Will Not be Prosecuted Over COVID-19 Lockdown Breaches, Media Claims

© AP Photo / Alberto PezzaliDominic Cummings, political advisoer to Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, leaves 10 Downing Street, in London
Dominic Cummings, political advisoer to Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, leaves 10 Downing Street, in London - Sputnik International, 1920, 06.02.2021
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Since being forced out of his senior role in No.10 Downing Street, Dominic Cummings has largely disappeared from the public spotlight. However, frustration over his repeated breaching of the COVID-19 lockdown still lives on among many Brits.

Boris Johnson's former chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, will not be prosecuted following his breaching of the COVID-19 lockdown back in March, according to revelations by The Mirror.

Mr Cummings, who was ultimately forced out of No.10 by Boris Johnson in November 2020, came under heavy public fire after making a trip to a family home in county Durham in April 2020, during the height of the UK's first nationwide COVID-19 lockdown. He had also taken a separate 60-mile journey from Durham to the town of Barnard Castle, despite admitting that he had coronavirus symptoms.

Subsequently, the former prosecutor for northwest England, Nazir Afzal, submitted a 255-page dossier of evidence of Cummings' lockdown breach to detectives in Durham, and urged them to investigate and take action against against him for breaking the law.

According to The Mirror, however, Durham Police Deputy Chief Constable David Orford has now written to lawyers representing Mr Afzal to inform that they "will be taking no further action".

"We do not consider the relevant tests are made out in relation to any potential offences raised within your submission", the letter seen by The Mirror reportedly elaborates.

Dominic Cummings, a British political strategist and special adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, slinks into 10 Downing Street in London, Tuesday, 30 July 2019. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) - Sputnik International, 1920, 15.12.2020
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Mr Afzal is reported to have provided the police with detailed allegations against Mr Cummings, which included location data from number plate recognition of his car filmed by CCTV camera footage, as well as footage of the former government adviser wandering around Barnard Castle. Mr Afzal later claimed that the "legal test" for prosecution against Mr Cummings had been met, given the substantial evidence proving his breaking of the legally mandated COVID-19 lockdown.

Since learning that Durham police will not be acting against Mr Cummings, Mr Afzal told The Mirror that he found it "hugely disappointing".

"I am considering with my legal team what further avenues to pursue because millions of people would want us to. This is also going to form part of my recent decision to examine the legal implications of the whole extent of the government's failures on COVID", he added.

In his own defence, following the revelations that he had breached the COVID-19 lockdown in April, Mr Cummings gave what was widely seen as an unrepentant press conference in May, in which he claimed that he had always behaved "reasonably and legally".

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