A Theale man has been found guilty of participating in a gathering at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

Michael Iles, of Blossom Avenue, broke coronavirus gathering rules on January 19, 2021, when England was in its third national lockdown.

His rulebreaking occurred just five days after Downing Street hosted a party to mark the departure of two members of staff on January 14, 2021.

Iles was found at a gathering of two or more people at The Crescent in Theale -- just 236ft from his home address -- ‘without reasonable excuse.’

Lockdown rules at this time banned people from mixing households as the Prime Minister issued a ‘stay at home’ message.

The only exceptions were for travelling to work or education, for childcare purposes, or for exercise.

All non-essential retail and leisure were forced to close, too.

Appearing at Reading Magistrates’ Court on May 10, Iles, 53, was fined £180 and made to pay £200 in court fees.

A police investigation into lockdown rulebreaking at 10 Downing Street resulted in 126 fines being issued to 83 attendees.

One recipient included Prime Minister Boris Johnson -- the person who imposed the tough rules in the first place.

He received a £50 fixed penalty notice, meaning he paid £330 less than Theale man Michael Iles.