Police have charged four people under the Public Health Act 2010 (NSW) and issued 58 COVID-19 related Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) since the last update.
Charges:
- About 6.45pm on Saturday (11 April 2020), officers from Police Transport Command spoke to a 21-year-old Penrith man on Eddy Avenue, Haymarket, who had no reasonable excuse to be in the area. Checks revealed he had been warned on two occasions in the last week. He was issued a $1000 PIN and moved on. About 8.30pm, officers from Sydney City Police Area Command attended a hotel on George Street, Sydney, following reports of a domestic violence incident. Police spoke with the 21-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl, with checks revealing the previous incident and that man was not to be at the location. He was taken to Day Street Police Station, where his PIN was rescinded, and he was charged with not comply with noticed direction re s 7/8/9 – COVID-19. He was granted bail at court yesterday and is next due to appear at Penrith Local Court on Wednesday 3 June 2020.
- Officers from Traffic and Highway Patrol Command were stopped at traffic lights at the intersection of Mona Vale and Telegraph Roads, St Ives, when they observed a Corolla travel at speed through the intersection as the lights turned from yellow to red. Police activated their lights and followed the vehicle before it pulled over on Cowan Street, where they spoke to the 25-year-old male driver. Checks revealed the man was disqualified from driving and had previously been charged for driving during the disqualification period, and the car he was driving was listed as stolen. A subsequent roadside drug test allegedly returned a positive result and after being arrested and taken to Hornsby Police Station, a secondary test returned a positive result for methylamphetamine, cocaine and cannabis. The Greenacre man was charged with not stop at stop line at yellow light, exceed speed more than 20km/h-estimated, drive motor vehicle during disqualification period, take and drive conveyance without consent of owner, drive vehicle, illicit drug present in blood and not comply with noticed direction re s 7/8/9 – COVID-19. He has been refused bail to appear at Parramatta Bail Court today (Monday 13 April 2020).
- Officers from Surry Hills Police Area Command were patrolling Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills, about 3pm (Sunday 12 April 2020), when they located a man asleep on the footpath. Checks revealed the 49-year-old man was in breach of his bail and during a subsequent search, police located six alprazolam tablets, which were not prescribed to him. The Bankstown man, who had previously been warned under the Public Health Act told police he was out visiting friends. He was taken to Surry Hills Police Station, where he was charged with possess prohibited drug and not comply with noticed direction re s 7/8/9 – COVID-19. He has been refused bail to appear at Parramatta Bail Court today (Monday 13 April 2020).
- About 3.45pm (Sunday 12 April 2020), officers from Blue Mountains Police Area Command had arrested a man during a police operation outside a home on the Great Western Highway, Mt Victoria, when another man arrived at the property and started filming on his phone. The man moved very close to the officers – well inside social distancing requirements – before trying to go inside the home. Police directed the man to move away and film from the footpath, but he stated he was a sovereign citizen and it was illegal to give him directions. After an officer attempted to physically move the man away, he allegedly resisted and wrestled with the officer until he was eventually arrested. The 55-year-old man was taken to resist or hinder police officer in the execution of duty, refuse/fail to comply with direction under Part 14, and not comply with noticed direction re s 7/8/9 – COVID-19. He has been refused bail to appear at Parramatta Bail Court today (Monday 13 April 2020).
PINs of note include:
- Just before 10pm on Saturday (11 April 2020), officers from Parramatta Police Area Command attended a serviced apartment complex on Church Street, Parramatta, following reports of noise complaints from hotel staff. Police found six people inside the apartment, who allegedly told officers they were there to drink alcohol. Four people – including two men, aged 32 and 37, and two women, aged 25 and 29 – were each issued $1000 PINs.
- In a separate incident, officers returned to the Parramatta serviced apartment complex, following further noise complaints, about 12.30am (Sunday 12 April 2020). On arrival, police found seven people inside one of the apartments, when the hotel only had knowledge of two people. Police found smoke pipes inside and will allege the smoke alarms had been removed. A 25-year-old woman had also attended as an adult entertainer. Four people – including two men, aged 19 and 22, and two women, aged 20 and 30 – were each issued $1000 PINs.
- About 2.30am (Sunday 12 April 2020), officers from the Traffic and Highway Patrol detected an Audi A6 allegedly speeding on Parramatta Road, Homebush West. When the car allegedly failed to stop, a pursuit commenced. After a short time, the vehicle stopped on Loftus Crescent, Homebush, before allegedly reversing and ramming the marked police vehicle. The Audi allegedly rammed the police car for a second time, causing damage, before driving away. Police followed the vehicle for a short time before terminating the pursuit. A short time later, the Audi crashed into the back of a Toyota Camry at the intersection of Plaza and Parramatta roads. The passenger of the Camry suffered head and facial injuries; all other occupants of the vehicles received minor injuries. The Audi driver, a 22-year-old man, was arrested and taken to hospital for mandatory testing. He was then taken to Auburn Police Station, where he was charged with a number of offences, including: police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously, motor vehicle exceed speed of 20km/h, dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, negligent driving , cause bodily harm by misconduct, owner not disclose identity of driver/passenger, and not give particulars to police. He was also issued $1000 PIN. He was granted conditional bail to appear at Burwood Local Court on Thursday 4 June 2020.
- Officers from South Coast Highway Patrol stopped a vehicle on the Princess Highway, Lake Tabourie, about 5pm on Saturday (11 April 2020), for the purpose of a random breath test. The driver, a 38-year-old woman from Ulladulla, allegedly told police she travelled to Batemans Bay on Thursday (9 April 2020) for the Easter break. She was issued a $1000 PIN for non-essential travel.
- About 2.30pm (Sunday 12 April 2020), officers from St George Police Area Command attended a unit on Gertrude Street, Wolli Creek, following a noise complaint. On arrival, police spoke to the occupant, a 31-year-old woman, who allegedly claimed she was “having a party with friends.” Four people – including three men, aged 22, 31 and 34, and a 32-year-old woman – were all issued $1000 PINs.
- About 8.50pm (Sunday 12 April 2020), officers from Blacktown Police Area Command were patrolling on Campbell Street, Blacktown when they noticed two men leaving a carpark. The men, aged 20 and 22, told police they had met with friends and that they had previously been warned by police in relation to social gatherings. They were both issued a $1000 PIN.
- A 48-year-old Canley Vale man has been issued with a $1000 PIN by officers from Leichhardt Police Area Command for failing to comply with a Public Health Order after he attempted to get on a fully marked police motorcycle parked at the intersection of Glebe Point Road and the Great Western Highway, about 8.20am last Friday (10 April 2020).
- A 23-year-old Wodonga man has been issued with a $1000 PIN after officers from the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command stopped a motorcycle at Glenroy, north west of Albury, on Saturday (11 April 2020). The man, who was riding an unregistered and uninsured motorcycle, admitted to travelling across the border from his home in Victoria to visit friends in New South Wales.
- About 9.30pm on Saturday (11 April 2020), officers from Port Stephens-Hunter District were conducting proactive patrols and spoke to two men – aged 19 and 25 – in the carpark of a sports field at Thornton. Inquiries revealed the men had attended the location to smoke cannabis, which was found in their possession. The younger man was also found to be carrying a box knife. The pair were issued with $1000 PINS and cannabis cautions, while the younger man was also issued an infringement for custody of a knife.
- Officers from Sydney City Police Area Command were called to Liverpool Street, Sydney CBD, about 9pm on Saturday (11 April 2020), following reports of a public disturbance. Police spoke to an 18-year-old man who was allegedly harassing members of the public and told police he had been drinking with friends in Chatswood. He was issued a $1000 PIN.
- About 9pm on Saturday (11 April 2020), officers from Chifley Police District attended a camp site in the Newnes State Forest, about 15km from Lithgow, after reports of a group of people camping. They group was moved on, as they did not live together and or have a reasonable excuse for being away from home. Four men – aged 18, 19, 32 and 48 – were issued with $1000 PINs.
- About 8.30am (Sunday 12 April), a 22-year-old man and 21-year-old woman were each issued a $1000 PIN after allegedly breaking into the vacant Queen Victoria Hospital, at Wentworth Falls. Officers from Chifley Police District are continuing to investigate.
- Just before midday on Saturday (11 April 2020), officers from Lake Macquarie Police District stopped an 18-year-old man, who was walking with three friends, on Grenache Street, Bonnells Bay. He had previously received a warning from police last Thursday (9 April 2020), and was subsequently issued a $1000 PIN. The other males were moved on from the area.
- Officers from Oxley Police District stopped a Mazda 3 on Robert Street, South Tamworth, just before 10pm last Wednesday (8 April 2020), for the purpose of a random breath test. The driver, a 17-year-old girl, returned a negative result. The passengers – two men, aged 21 and 30 – had previously been issued warnings under the Public Health Act. They were both subsequently issued $1000 PINs.
- About 2.45pm last Thursday (9 April 2020), officers from Richmond Police District were patrolling when the observed two occupants in a Nissan X-Trail at the end of Burns Point Ferry Road, West Ballina, drinking alcohol. The 38-year-old man and 61-year-old woman, both from Byron Bay, were issued a $1000 PIN for non-essential travel.
- Officers from Coffs/Clarence Police District stopped a vehicle on Bent Street, Yamba, about 8.20pm (Sunday 12 April 2020). When speaking to the driver, a 35-year-old man, police will allege he changed his story for travelling several times and was subsequently issued a $1000 PIN.
- About 3.10am (Sunday 12 April 2020), officers from South Sydney Police Area Command stopped a Ford Utility at the intersection of Wilson Street and the Princes Highway at Newtown, after the car allegedly drove through a red light. Officers issued the male driver and female passenger – both aged 20 – with $1000 PINs after they admitted they wanted to get away from their family for the night. The driver was also issued with a traffic infringement.
- About 11.50pm on Saturday (11 April 2020), officers from Camden Police Area Command were conducting proactive patrols on Main Street, Mt Annan, when they attempted to speak with the occupants of a vehicle parked outside a shopping centre. When police approached the vehicle, the car was driven from the scene before stopping at a nearby service station. The driver, a 24-year-old woman, and her passenger, a 21-year-old woman, were issued with $1000 PINs for failing to comply with a Public Health Order. The driver was also issued with a traffic infringement after checks confirmed her licence is currently disqualified.
Since 17 March 2020, police have issued 57 Court Attendance Notices, and 464 PINs for breaches of the Public Health Act.
Anyone who has information regarding individuals or businesses in contravention of a COVID-19-related ministerial direction is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.