Hundreds of fines have been handed out by police for breaches of Covid-19 laws in Wiltshire since they came into force, figures show.

Home Secretary Priti Patel defended the policing of lockdown breaches across the country, warning that officers “will not hesitate” to take action to safeguard the national recovery effort.

Data published by the National Police Chiefs Council shows a total of 208 fixed penalty notices (FPNs) were issued by Wiltshire Police between March 27 and December 20. Of these, 186 were issued for breaches of coronavirus laws brought in during the first few months of the pandemic, two were linked to the tiered alert system introduced in October, and 14 to the national lockdown which began in November.

Police forces across England and Wales have issued 32,329 FPNs since March, though the NPCC said there had been a downward trend in recent weeks. The peak occurred during the Easter bank holiday in April, with 3,288 handed out that week. By contrast, the most recent weekly figures showed 542 tickets were handed out in the week to December 17, compared to 821 in the previous seven days.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said last week that more than 800 fines had been handed out over the previous 14 days.

Ms Patel said: “The vast majority of the public have supported this huge national effort and followed the rules. “But the tragic number of new cases and deaths this week shows there is still a need for strong enforcement where people are clearly breaking these rules.”

Of the fines in Wiltshire, there were two for failing to wear a face covering when required, and three for breaching international travel rules. There was also one for gatherings held of more than 30 people, which carries a £10,000 penalty.

Preliminary crime figures also published by the NPCC on Friday showed that total crime in England and Wales was down 12% in November last year.