Zara Holland seen back in the UK for the first time since breaking Covid rules in Barbados

Zara Holland appeared to be keeping a low-profile as she was pictured for the first time since returning to the UK after breaching Covid rules in Barbados.

The disgraced Love Island star, 25, was seen wearing a mask while sat in a Mercedes in East Yorkshire on Wednesday, after paying a £4,500 fine in the Caribbean for trying to flee the country despite her boyfriend testing positive for Covid.

Holland and her partner Elliot Love, 30, were arrested at the island’s airport and faced a sentence of up to a year, before both being let off with fines.

Low-profile: Zara Holland appeared to be keeping a low-profile as she was pictured for the first time since returning to the UK after breaching Covid rules in Barbados.

The reality personality was believed to have returned home without Love last week, when she was seen sat alone before boarding a Virgin Atlantic flight to Manchester at the Grantley Adams International Airport.

Meanwhile, Love was forced to stay in the island’s mosquito-ridden Paragon Isolation Centre until he was clear of the virus and had to pay a heavy fine to the country.

Following the offence Love managed to escape jail and received a reduced fine after his lawyer argued he was a ‘simple guy’, who owned a small demolition company and worked for £450-a week.

Love was fined £1,400 less than his famous girlfriend – despite him being prepared to get on a packed holiday jet while infected with the virus.

Zara was ordered to pay a heftier fine before fleeing the country due to her compliance in the offence, despite not testing positive herself.

Pictured: The disgraced Love Island star, 25, was seen wearing a mask while sat in a Mercedes in East Yorkshire on Wednesday, after paying a £4,500 fine in the Caribbean last week

Pictured: The disgraced Love Island star, 25, was seen wearing a mask while sat in a Mercedes in East Yorkshire on Wednesday, after paying a £4,500 fine in the Caribbean last week

The former Miss England jetted back to Britain last week, just hours after she was ordered to pay her fine or go to jail for nine months for breaching the island’s tough Covid rules. 

One fellow traveller said: ‘She was sitting well away from everyone else and trying to keep a very low profile. To say she looked sheepish is an understatement.

‘We were shocked to see her because we know her boyfriend is still being detained while he battles Covid. I’m amazed she’s left him behind.’

Homeward bound: The former Miss England jetted back to Britain last week, just hours after she was ordered to pay her fine or go to jail for nine months for breaching the island's tough Covid rules

Homeward bound: The former Miss England jetted back to Britain last week, just hours after she was ordered to pay her fine or go to jail for nine months for breaching the island’s tough Covid rules 

One fellow traveller said: 'She was sitting well away from everyone else and trying to keep a very low profile. To say she looked sheepish is an understatement'

One fellow traveller said: ‘She was sitting well away from everyone else and trying to keep a very low profile. To say she looked sheepish is an understatement’ 

Love had to test negative twice for the virus over the space of five days before he was allowed out of the military base which has been turned into a coronavirus quarantine centre.

Holland, of North Ferriby, East Yorkshire, could have been jailed for up to a year but the magistrate instead imposed the fine, which many on social media condemned as a let off. The fine was paid immediately by her lawyer meaning she was free to leave. 

A guest who had been staying at the luxury Hilton hotel, where Holland holed up after her arrest, spotted the former beauty queen scurrying out of the £350-a-night hotel several hours after she left court.

Andrew Pilgrim QC, Holland’s lawyer, told MailOnline today: ‘Zara left Barbados last night. The fine has been paid and she was free to go.’

Isolation Love was trapped in the island's mosquito-ridden Paragon Isolation Centre where he will stay until he is totally clear of the potentially fatal virus

Isolation Love was trapped in the island’s mosquito-ridden Paragon Isolation Centre where he will stay until he is totally clear of the potentially fatal virus

A family friend added: ‘Zara has gone home. She left last night by plane.’

At court on Wednesday, the shaken TV star had blamed her actions on a ‘foolish error’ and breathed a sigh of relief when she escaped with a fine of GBP 4,417 [B$12,000].

She had pleaded guilty to leaving the Sugar Bay hotel on December 29 while she was under quarantine.

Chief magistrate Ian Weekes admonished her for breaking the nation’s tough rules that have prevented the holiday island being overrun by the virus.

At court on Wednesday, the shaken reality star had blamed her actions on a ‘foolish error’ and breathed a sigh of relief when she escaped with a fine of GBP 4,417 [B$12,000]. Holland was warned she would be jailed for nine months if she didn’t pay within seven days

At court on Wednesday, the shaken reality star had blamed her actions on a ‘foolish error’ and breathed a sigh of relief when she escaped with a fine of GBP 4,417 [B$12,000]. Holland was warned she would be jailed for nine months if she didn’t pay within seven days

‘We cannot tolerate that you breached the quarantine protocol, he said. ‘You had been told to stay at your hotel and you should have done that.’

Mr Pilgrim blamed her ‘lapse’ on a ‘foolish error,’ telling the court she had two negative tests and became extremely nervous about her and Love’s status in Barbados, which is why she decided to try and leave the island.

Love had already tested positive for Covid when the pair bought return flights to the UK.

Mr Pilgrim told the court Holland was involved in a lot of charity work in the UK, including helping children with cancer, and also helped with transportation for people in need.

He said she had the utmost respect for the people of Barbados and had been holidaying on the island twice a year for the last six years.

She had pleaded guilty to leaving the Sugar Bay hotel on December 29 while she was under quarantine. Chief magistrate Ian Weekes admonished her for breaking the nation's tough rules that have prevented the holiday island being overrun by the virus

She had pleaded guilty to leaving the Sugar Bay hotel on December 29 while she was under quarantine. Chief magistrate Ian Weekes admonished her for breaking the nation’s tough rules that have prevented the holiday island being overrun by the virus

Holland remained silent when she left court but stood beside Mr Pilgrim as he spoke on her behalf.

He said: ‘We accepted the decision of the court. Miss Holland wants to express her sincere apologies to the entire nation of Barbados.’  

Love tested positive for Covid after arriving on the island last Sunday.

The couple were given red wristbands and told to remain in their room at the £300-a-night Sugar Bay until they were taken to a quarantine centre on the north of the island.

Instead, they booked would have been a British Airways flight back to the UK packed with fellow British holiday makers, cut off their wristbands and took a taxi to the airport where, according to a local source, their names raised some red flags with airport officials because of their short turnaround time in the country.

They were arrested as they made their way to departures after surveillance cameras captured the pair entering public bathrooms and exiting wearing different clothing. 

Last week Jamaican tourist Dean George Scott, 49, admitted in court to leaving quarantine to ‘buy Fanta’ and other snacks after arriving on the holiday island at the beginning of December. He was jailed for six months.