A man has denied breaching Covid-19 regulations after police broke up an illegal party on a houseboat in London attended by nearly 30 people.

Jordy Nicholas Van Duijvenbode, 31, of no fixed address, was charged last month with one count of holding a gathering of more than 30 people and one count of participating in a gathering of two or more people.

He appeared in person at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday where he pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Van Duijvenbode, who represented himself, told the court he is “convinced” no regulations were breached.

Metropolitan Police were called to several reports of a large number of people playing loud music on a boat on the River Lea between Tottenham Lock and Hackney, north-east London, in the early hours of Saturday February 13.

Officers found the vessel off Hackney Marshes at 4.20am with around 30 people on board.

Police said 26 people were reported for the consideration of fixed penalty notices of £800 for breaking lockdown rules.

The other charge relates to an alleged gathering of more than two people at a dock in Hackney on February 5.

The rules in England say people are only allowed to leave home if they have a “reasonable excuse” to do so, such as shopping for essentials or permitted childcare.

Leaving home for recreational or leisure purposes, such as for a picnic or a social meeting, is not allowed.

Van Duijvenbode will next appear at Stratford Magistrates’ Court on April 30.