Zara Holland’s boyfriend Elliott Love escapes jail and is fined just £3K after breaching Barbados’ Covid laws
ZARA Holland's boyfriend Elliot Love has been fined £3000 for breaking Covid rules in Barbados.
The Love Island star, 25, was herself earlier slapped with a £4,500 fine after trying to flee Barbados with her partner after he tested positive for coronavirus.
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She left the luxury holiday island immediately after her court appearance and being spared a jail sentence - leaving Elliott in a grim holding facility.
Love could have been jailed for up to a year and his fine was £1400 less than his famous girlfriend - despite him being prepared to get on a packed holiday jet while infected with the deadly virus.
Wearing a blue shirt, beige chinos, a face mask and white trainers, he refused to comment as he left court.
Defence attorney Harry Husbands asked the court that Love be treated differently because he was a “simple guy” who owned a small demolition company and worked for £450-a week.
The magistrate said Love had been reckless since he had tested positive and had placed a taxi driver who drove him to the airport and his family's life in danger.
The Barbados government has brought in tough measures to try and suppress the spread of by holidaymakers.
In a previous case, Jamaican tourist Dean George Scott, 49, was jailed for six months after her admitted leaving quarantine to "buy Fanta" and other snacks after arriving on the holiday island in December,
Prime Minister Mia Mottley said her government was prepared to take "necessary action" against rule-breaking tourists.
Andrew Pilgrim QC, Holland's lawyer, told the MailOnline: "Zara left Barbados last night. The fine has been paid and she was free to go."
The former Miss England, 25, kept a low profile as she boarded a Virgin Atlantic flight to Manchester at the Grantley Adams International Airport.
A month earlier she and Love were arrested attempting to flee after he tested positive for the virus.
A traveller who spotted her on the flight home said the islander looked "sheepish" and was trying to keep away from other passengers.
They added: "We were shocked to see her because we know her boyfriend is still being detained while he battles Covid. I’m amazed she’s left him behind."
Another holidaymaker reportedly saw the beauty queen scurrying out of the island's Hilton shortly after she appeared in court.
Zara faced a judge yesterday, who spared her a jail sentence - but slapped her with a £4,500 fine.
She pleaded guilty to breaching Covid lockdown laws by "leaving quarantine without reasonable explanation".
Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes, known for his tough stance against Covid rule breakers, ordered Zara to pay a £4,417 fine ($12,000 Barbados dollars) within seven days or face nine months in prison, reports.
Zara's lawyer, Andrew Pilgrim QC, said she had admitted her attempt to leave the country was "foolish".
He said she accepted "full responsibility" for her actions.
Zara and Elliott were both swabbed on arrival in Barbados and ordered to isolate at the £300-a-night beachfront Sugar Bay hotel - and when Elliott’s test came back positive, they made a run for it to avoid being quarantined.
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After cops found the hotel room that they were supposed to be isolating in empty, Zara and Elliott were arrested by police at the airport.
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Elliott was taken to the island’s Paragon military base, which has been converted into a Covid-19 quarantine centre, and Zara was ordered to isolate.
She was forced to check in to the £350-a-night Hilton after the owner of the Sugar Bay refused to allow her to return.