A Melbourne mum was caught by police holding an illegal backyard "bonfire" party "for the sake of the kids" during lockdown.

Gina Harper, aged 35, of Selina Street, was hosting a party on November 5, on the first day the nation had been plunged back into a "circuit-breaker" lockdown, when there was a ban on households mixing.

The incident has been revealed after a closed-doors court hearing on June 9 where an array of Covid fine breaches were dealt with by a Derby magistrate.

A witness statement from PC Paul Trussell was the sole source of evidence used to decide Harper's case.

The statement, released to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, details that up to six adults and two children were found in Harper's back garden "huddled around a bonfire" when officers arrived at 10.10pm.

PC Trussell writes that none of the people at the property were social distancing or wearing face coverings.

Harper told officers that she did not know the Covid guidance completely and that she was having a family gathering "for the sake of the kids" and thought that "it was allowed to mix".

PC Trussell writes that Harper's partner, who had travelled from Coventry, 40 miles away, began to argue with officers over Covid regulations and was warned to calm down due to his language and behaviour.

Harper agreed to "call it a night" and said the "kids had a rubbish time"

Officers told Harper that the party must disperse and that Covid regulations were in place for a reason and that there was a pandemic, with a ban on households mixing.

Harper did not pay the initial £200 fine, resulting in her case heading to court.

At a Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court hearing on June 9, Harper was handed costs of £344, of which £220 was a fine, £90 was for court costs and £34 was for a victim surcharge.