• Eight Britons were the last to be prosecuted over a yacht party on Dec 26 last year
• Ten people had attended the gathering when the maximum group size permitted under Covid-19 laws then was five
• Videos of them partying on the yacht had circulated on social media
• All eight have been banned from working in Singapore again

SINGAPORE — Eight foreigners who partied with two others on a yacht near Lazarus Island on Boxing Day last year, in breach of Covid-19 laws, were fined S$3,000 each on Thursday (May 20). 

Mark Alexander Bellamy, 29, Annabelle Morgan Duke, 26, Holmes Philip Edward Knatchbull, 27, Amy Georgina Hunt, 30, Amy Alexandra Stewart, 32, Oliver Francis William Campbell, 31, Thomas Cuthbert Williams-Jones, 30, and Benjamin David Waters, 32, were all British.

In sentencing them, District Judge Jasvender Kaur told the court: “In order to effectively contain the virus, there is a need for everyone to do their part in abiding by the measures, and those who act irresponsibly must face the music and be adequately punished.”

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said on Thursday that it has permanently banned them from working here again and that their work passes had earlier been cancelled by their former employers.

The other two who were at the party — fellow Briton Amy Grace Ropner, 28, and Singapore permanent resident Mark Lau San Mao, 30 — were similarly fined S$3,000 in March. Both were in a relationship and living together at the time.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority had earlier said that it would shorten the validity of Lau's re-entry permit on his next renewal.

MOM told TODAY on Thursday that Ropner has also been permanently banned from working in Singapore.

At the time of the party on Dec 26 last year, Singapore was in the second phase of its reopening, with a five-person cap on gatherings to curb the potential spread of Covid-19.

Members of the public had taken videos of the gathering, which circulated on social media.

The eight who were dealt with in court on Thursday pleaded guilty to exceeding the maximum group size allowed.

The court heard that Hunt had contacted booking agent Marine Bookings in October last year to charter a yacht for the group. Marine Bookings later sent her a booking confirmation for Dec 26 last year, from 11am to 5pm.

That day, the group met two crew members on the pleasure craft Advant at the marina at Sentosa Cove.

The yacht master gave them a pre-departure briefing, telling them to stay in two groups of five in front and at the back of the craft, not to mingle, and to wear a mask when not eating or drinking.

During the gathering, the groups intermingled, ate and drank, and went into the water intermittently. 

They did not wear face masks at times and the yacht master observed that some were drunk. Sometime in the afternoon, members of the public saw them dancing and partying on the yacht.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said in January that the Advant, owned and operated by boat charter firm Beyond Luxury, would have its licence suspended for 30 days. 

Lawyer Terence Tan, who represented the 10 partygoers, previously took the court through some phone text messages between Hunt and Marine Bookings, showing that Hunt initially wanted to charter a yacht for five people. 

The booking agent later said that the Advant was permitted to hold up to 10 guests after submitting a safe-management proposal to the authorities.

When Marine Bookings asked Hunt to specify the bookings for the two groups of five, Hunt replied that she had booked for five persons and Lau had made a reservation for five others. Hunt and Lau also checked if the Advant had the relevant permit.

Even so, Mr Tan said then that his clients acknowledged that there was intermingling and breaches of safe-distancing rules.

For breaching the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020, they could have been jailed up to six months or fined up to S$10,000, or both.

Subsequent offences carry a jail term of up to a year or a maximum fine of S$20,000, or both.

In its statement on Thursday, MOM reminded work pass holders to comply with the rules and follow safe-distancing regulations, quarantine order and stay-home notice requirements.

“MOM will continue to take enforcement action against work pass holders who do not abide by the law.”