DOMINIC Cummings was investigated by police after flouting coronavirus lockdown rules by travelling more than 250 miles away from his home in London.
Boris Johnson's top aide was spotted by witnesses at his parents’ home in Durham, according to a joint investigation with The Mirror and The Guardian.
Cummings started suffering from a bout of Covid-19 at the end of March which left him self-isolating with his wife and son for two weeks.
Downing Street claimed he was in quarantine in his London home but a report has revealed that he was actually 250 miles away in the North of England.
Government lockdown advice said: “You should not be visiting family members who do not live in your home. The only exception is if they need help, such as having shopping or medication dropped off.”
READ MORE: Michael Russell says Dominic Cummings must be sacked for flouting lockdown
Police confirmed they had visited someone at a home in London who they found out had travelled to Durham to self-isolate when the UK was in lockdown.
They said they reminded the family that travelling to stay with relatives was breaking the rules.
A spokesman for Durham Constabulary said: “On Tuesday, March 31, our officers were made aware of reports that an individual had travelled from London to Durham and was present at an address in the city.
“Officers made contact with the owners of that address who confirmed that the individual in question was present and was self-isolating in part of the house.
“In line with national policing guidance, officers explained to the family the guidelines around self-isolation and reiterated the appropriate advice around essential travel”.
Several days later on April 5, a neighbour of Cummings' parents, Robert and Morag, claims they spotted him outside the property while passing for their daily walk.
They heard Abba’s Dancing Queen blasting playing loudly and peered over the hedge where they saw him, wearing a scarf and thick coat, with a small boy running around.
The neighbour, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “I got the shock of my life, as I looked over to the gates and saw him.
“There was a child, presumably his little boy, running around in front. I recognised Dominic Cummings, he’s a very distinctive figure.”
They added: “I was really annoyed. I thought it’s okay for you to drive all the way up to Durham and escape from London.
“I sympathise with him wanting to do that but other people are not allowed to do that. It’s one rule for Dominic Cummings and one rule for the rest of us.”
READ MORE: Labour demand 'swift explanation' as Dominic Cummings breaks lockdown rules
If anyone was found breaking rules during lockdown at that time they could be fined £60 for the first offence, halved to £30 if it was paid quickly. It would be doubled on each offence after that, up to a maximum of £960.
On 31 March, the PM’s official spokesman told journalists: “I think [Cummings is] in touch with No10 but he is at home, he is self-isolating, he has some symptoms.”
They spoke to the family and reminded them that travelling to stay with relatives was in breach of the rules.
A spokesman for Durham Constabulary said: “On Tuesday, March 31, our officers were made aware of reports that an individual had travelled from London to Durham and was present at an address in the city.
“Officers made contact with the owners of that address who confirmed that the individual in question was present and was self-isolating in part of the house.
“In line with national policing guidance, officers explained to the family the guidelines around self-isolation and reiterated the appropriate advice around essential travel”.
When he returned to work, Cummings' wife, journalist Mary Wakefield, wrote about self-isolating but did not specify the family's location.
She said: "Dom couldn’t get out of bed. Day in, day out for ten days he lay doggo with a high fever and spasms that made the muscles lump and twitch in his legs. He could breathe, but only in a limited, shallow way.
"After a week, we reached peak corona uncertainty. Day six is a turning point, I was told: that’s when you either get better or head for ICU.
"But was Dom fighting off the bug or was he heading for a ventilator? Who knew? I sat on his bed staring at his chest, trying to count his breaths per minute.
"Just as Dom was beginning to feel better, it was reported that Boris was heading in the other direction, into hospital".
She added: "After the uncertainty of the bug itself, we emerged from quarantine into the almost comical uncertainty of London lockdown."
In the same issue of the Spectator, Cummings wrote: “At the end of March and for the first two weeks of April I was ill, so we were both shut in together.”
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