AROUND one-in-ten coronavirus fines in Wales has been handed out in Gwent, latest police figures show.

Gwent Police has issued at least 413 fixed penalty notices under the pandemic's emergency health regulations – the lowest number of any police force in Wales.

The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) figures include all police fines handed out to coronavirus rule-breakers from March 27 last year to January 17 this year.

In the same time period, Dyfed-Powys Police issued 1,846 fines, South Wales Police issued 1,273 fines, and North Wales Police issued 655 fines.

The bulk of fines handed out by Gwent Police happened during the first lockdown period (132 fines).

Later, when the rules were relaxed in the summer, the force handed out 19 fines.

In the two-week 'fire break' period, beginning in October, it issued 95 fines to people who were breaking the tightened public health rules.

After the fire-break, when restrictions were relaxed again, Gwent Police gave out 68 fines – but in the current period of restrictions, the force has issued at least 99 fines.

The NPCC figure does not include more than 100 fines Gwent Police issued last weekend during what the force called "proactive patrols" in the region.

READ MORE: Police fine more than 100 in weekend crackdown on Covid-19 rule-breakers

Provisional figures from the NPCC suggest overall crime reported to police was 13 per cent lower last month than it was in December 2019.

“We have seen falls in crime during periods of national lockdown and we are beginning to see it again in January," NPCC chairman Martin Hewitt said. "There was no significant rise back towards 2019 levels observed in December. Many parts of England and Wales still faced significant restrictions in the run up to Christmas and New Year.

“Police will always strive to make the most effective use of any additional capacity when crime falls.”

­— Who is getting fined for breaching coronavirus rules?

Most fines in Wales and England were issued to people breaking the rule on "restriction of movement during emergency period" (13,994 fines since March 27).

Seven-in-ten (72 per cent) of people fined for any coronavirus rule breach in Wales were male.

In Wales, one-in-three (35 per cent) people fined was aged 18-24. Rates of rule-breaking dropped in older age brackets. In total, 76 per cent of fines have been issued in Wales to people younger than 40 years old.

Just two fines in Wales have been issued to people organising illegal gatherings. In England, the number is 250.

“We know most people are doing their best to follow the rules, however there is a stubborn minority who are not taking personal responsibility and continue to put people at risk," Mr Hewitt said.

“The most effective way to reduce the virus spreading and to avoid getting a fine, is for people to comply with the regulations and to stay home unless they have an exemption which applies to them.”