Breakdown of latest Public Health Act charges and Penalty Infringement Notices

Police have charged six people under the Public Health Act 2010 (NSW) and issued 24 COVID-19 related Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) for offences within the past 24 hours.

Yesterday's charges:

• Officers from Newcastle City Police District were patrolling when they stopped and spoke to two men near Steel Street, Newcastle West, just before 2pm (Thursday 16 April 2020). Police will allege one of the men – aged 20 – refused to provide his personal details and repeatedly used offensive language. Following checks, it was established the man had previously been warned and issued a $1000 PIN on Tuesday (14 April 2020) for breaching the Public Health Act. He was subsequently arrested and taken to Newcastle Police Station where he was charged with use offensive language in/near public place, breach of bail and not comply with noticed direction re section 7/8/9 – COVID-19. The Clarence Town man was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Friday 17 April 2020).

• About 8.30pm (Thursday 16 April 2020), officers from Wollongong Police District stopped a Toyota Kluger on the Princess Highway at Figtree and spoke to the driver, a 37-year-old Victorian woman, and her two passengers, as part of an ongoing investigation into the supply of GBL under Strike Force Braky. Following a subsequent search of the vehicle, police found 375ml of GBL in a water bottle, two smaller bottles also containing GBL, an electronic stun device, mobile phones and drug paraphernalia including digital scales and a glass pipe. The total estimated potential street value of the drugs is $14,400. The driver was arrested and taken to Wollongong Police Station where she was charged with supply prohibited drug (between indictable and commercial quantity), supply prohibited drug (commercial quantity), and not comply with noticed direction re section 7/8/9 – COVID-19. Police will allege the woman was supplying GBL across the Wollongong area. The Bundoora woman was refused bail to appear at Wollongong Local Court today. Both passengers were given warnings for not complying with a ministerial direction.

• About 3.15pm (Thursday 16 April 2020), officers from the Police Transport Command were patrolling near Wollongong Railway Station, when they stopped and spoke with three men. None of them could provide a reasonable excuse to not be at home. A 19-year-old North Nowra man was charged with breach of bail and not comply with noticed direction re section 7/8/9 – COVID-19. He was refused bail to appear at Wollongong Local Court today. The two other men were issued formal warnings.

• About 8am (Thursday 16 April 2020), officers from Wollongong Police attempted to stop a man on a bicycle at Fairy Meadow as part of investigations into a number of nuisance calls to Triple Zero (000) made in the early hours of the morning. The 29-year-old man initially ignored direction from police, before he was stopped and searched. During the search, police found a 25cm tactical knife concealed in his pocket and a 30cm hunting knife in his backpack. He was arrested and taken to Wollongong Police Station where he was charged with use carriage service to menace/harass/offend, custody of knife in public place – subsequent offence, breach of bail, goods in custody suspected of being stolen (mountain bike), rider not wear approved bicycle helmet, and not comply with noticed direction re section 7/8/9 – COVID-19. He was refused bail and is due to appear in Wollongong Local Court today.

• Just before 8am yesterday (Thursday 16 April 2020), officers from Liverpool City Police Area Command saw two stolen cars – a Honda Odyssey and a Jeep Cherokee – travelling along the Hume Highway, Liverpool. Both vehicles attempted to evade police, with the Honda allegedly ramming a police car and crashing into the front entrance of a bottle shop. The occupants of both vehicles – six teenagers aged between 14 and 17 – were arrested. Four were charged with a range of offences relating to vehicle theft, drugs, traffic, and breach of bail. Two of the four were also charged with not comply with noticed direction re section 7/8/9 – COVID-19. Four of the teens were refused bail to appear before a children's court today. The remaining two teens were dealt with under the Young Offenders Act.

• Just after 11.30am yesterday (Thursday 16 April 2020), police attached Liverpool City Proactive Crime Team spoke to a 57-year-old man on Burlison Street, Warwick Farm. Officers searched the man and his Holden utility, seizing cannabis and cash from the vehicle. He was arrested and taken to Liverpool Police Station, where he was charged with drug supply, drug possession, goods in custody, dealing with proceeds of crime and not comply with noticed direction re section 7/8/9 – COVID-19. He is due to appear before Liverpool Local Court on Thursday 11 June 2020.

Yesterday's PINs include:

• About 3am, officers from Northern Beaches Police Area Command attended a service station on Pittwater Road, Brookvale, when they saw a Holden Commodore utility at the bowser. Police spoke to the occupants – a 24-year-old Green Valley man and a 33-year-old Busby man – who could not provide police with a reasonable excuse to travel. Both men were issued $1000 PINs.

• About 5.20am, officers attached to Campbelltown City Police Area Command stopped a blue Nissan Navara utility on Tamborine Drive, Minto, and spoke to three occupants. The female passenger – aged 24 – had previously been issued a PIN on Saturday 11 April 2020 for not complying with a ministerial direction. Due to the occupants being in the vehicle without a reasonable excuse, the woman was issued a second $1000 PIN for not comply with noticed direction re s 7/8/9 - COVID-19 and two men – aged 20 and 23 – were issued warnings.

• Officers attached to Mid North Coast Police District stopped a Ford Territory station wagon with four occupants on Gordon Street, Port Macquarie, about 12.50am for the purpose of a random breath test. A 21-year-old man had previously been issued a warning for breaching the Minister's direction on Wednesday 1 April 2020, while a second man – aged 23 – and a 17-year-old girl had also been issued a warning on Thursday 9 April 2020. All four people, including a 15-year-old boy, were unable to provide a reasonable excuse for being out with each other. The two men and teenage girl were issued a $1000 PIN. The teenage boy received a warning.

• About 5.15pm, officers attached to Sydney City Police Area Command spoke to a man sitting with a group of other people at Little Hay Street, Haymarket. The man had previously been warned by officers attached to Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command on Tuesday 7 April 2020 at Bondi for breaching the Health Act and was subsequently issued a $1000 PIN.

• Just before 4.30pm, officers from Sydney City Police Area Command were patrolling Darling Harbour and spoke to a 29-year-old man sitting in the centre of a water feature using his mobile phone. The Redfern man allegedly told officers he was meditating. He had previously been issued a warning under the Ministerial Direction and was issued with a $1000 PIN.

• Just after 9am, officers attached to Ryde Police Area Command spoke to a 25-year-old man at Hornsby Railway Station. He was issued a warning after telling officers he had travelled from Wyong to have lunch with his brother. About 9.45am, officers spoke to the man again on-board a train at Epping. He allegedly told them he was travelling to Central to collect money from a friend and was subsequently issued with a $1000 PIN.

• About 1.50am, officers from Central West Police District were patrolling Calarie Road, Forbes, when they spoke to a 22-year-old man, who was walking on the road with alcohol bottles. When asked where he was going, police allege the man did not provide a reasonable excuse under the Public Health Act. The man was issued a $1000 PIN. Police had issued the man with a warning last Friday (10 April 2020).

• About 3.30pm, officers from Sydney City Police Area Command issued a $1000 PIN to a 54-year-old man after he was found drinking alcohol in the Royal Botanical Gardens. Police had previously warned the man on Sunday (12 April 2020).

• About 6pm, officers from Lake Illawarra Police District were patrolling when they stopped a 25-year-old man outside a home on Pur Pur Avenue, Lake Illawarra. He allegedly told police he was visiting a mate. Checks revealed the man had received two prior warnings on Saturday (11 April 2020) and Wednesday (15 April 2020) and was subsequently issued a $1000 PIN.

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.