Salon owner who used Magna Carta to defy lockdown films ‘laughing’ rant over court order

A HAIRDRESSER who racked up £27,000 in coronavirus fines after quoting the Magna Carta in a bid to stay open has filmed herself laughing about a court order.

Sinead Quinn remained trading despite the country being in a second national lockdown – which bans salons from running until December 2.

This morning, she posted her “rant” on the salon’s Instagram page after magistrates in Bradford, West Yorks, granted a closure order submitted by the council.

The order means Quinn Blakey Hairdressers in Oakenshaw, near Bradford, must not open until after midnight on December 2 – when the national lockdown ends.

If it opens, Ms Quinn could be fined and even face a jail sentence.

LAUGHING RANT

In a fresh video, Ms Quinn laughed at the court order and claimed the closure notice is “unlawful”.

She urged other businesses to break future lockdown rules and added: “They (Kirklees) have gone today to get a closure notice granted by the court, and they have been successful.

“So they have got a closure notice for 48 hours.

“One month I have been open, from the 5th of November. I did not close that door – I locked it, but I didn’t close the door.

“I had clients, I still earned my wages…it’s never going to stop if we don’t do something.

“We need more businesses to wake up and think, ‘yeah, I’m not standing for it’.

“Rant over. Have an amazing day all of you. Thank you so much for your messages and support – it’s heartwarming.”

Sinead was initially given a fine of £4,000 for opening the salon last weekend.

But the cost rocketed to £27,000 after council officers visited – slapping her with two £10,000 fines for remaining open.

£27K FINE

The salon had previously been given fines of £1,000 and £2,000 for defying Government orders to close from November 5 in the face of rising Covid-19 cases.

She bizarrely referenced the Magna Carta, a royal charter of rights from 1215, to defend her rebellion.

During earlier visits she told authorities she did not “consent” to coronavirus closure laws, and was hit with on the spot fines for breaching the regulations.

Councillor Paul Davies, Cabinet Member for Culture and Greener Kirklees, said: “The actions taken by this business owner, and those who have given her custom during this period, have been illegal, selfish and reckless.

“The business owner has wilfully endangered herself, her customers, the wider community and our staff.

“We have given this business every opportunity to do the right thing and public health must come first. We have been left with no choice.”