The fine imposed on lockdown rebel Sinead Quinn by magistrates is pathetic.

Quinn became a national cause celebre and a focus for every lockdown sceptic who doesn't think laws designed to keep people safe from a deadly virus should apply to them.

Her intransigence earned her £17,000 in fixed penalty fines from an exasperated Kirkless Council.

Police - who should have been doing other things during a national emergency - were called to her salon numerous times.

As law-abiding businesses remained closed, Quinn welcomed customers to her salon and carried on as if nothing had happened.

When police visited she wasn't even wearing a mask.

Magistrates were urged to take into account the public health risks raised by the salon opening during lockdown, as well as the fact that Quinn was profiting while law abiding businesses were shut.

Yet, despite all this, Presiding Justice Sharon Jandu fined Quinn just £6,000 and awarded legal costs to the Council of £2,246. She also imposed a £190 surcharge.

That adds up to £8,436.

But supporters have already donated more than £10,000 to a crowdfunding page Quinn set up shortly after she was hit with fixed penalty fines.

Fines which she no longer has to pay.

It's hard to see how this sends out a tough message to anyone who fancies breaking lockdown rules in the future.