Breakdown of latest Public Health Act charges and Penalty Infringement Notices

Police have charged six people with offences under the Public Health Act 2010 (NSW) and issued 17 COVID-19 related Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) since the last update.

Charges:

• About 11.15pm yesterday (Monday 6 April 2020), officers from Fairfield City Police Area Command attempted to stop a Renault hatchback, believed to be stolen, travelling east along Hollywood Drive, Lansvale. A pursuit was initiated and terminated soon after due to safety concerns. With assistance from PolAir, the vehicle was located at a petrol station on Camden Valley Way at Leppington. Police will allege the Renault rammed a Dog Unit vehicle and bollard, before the four occupants of the vehicle – two boys aged 16 and 15 and two girls aged 16 and 14 – were arrested and taken to Fairfield Police Station. All four teenagers were charged with not comply with noticed direction (COVID-19). Additionally, the driver, a 16-year-old boy, was charged with police pursuit, use weapon to prevent lawful detention, drive manner dangerous, take conveyance without consent and other traffic offences. The other three teenagers were charged with carried in conveyance and the group were refused bail to appear before a Children's Court today (Tuesday 7 April 2020).
• About 9.30am yesterday, police were called to a church at Toronto after reports of a break-in. Officers arrested a 26-year-old man at the scene and conveyed him to Toronto Police Station, where he was charged with break and enter and not comply with noticed direction. The man was granted strict conditional bail to appear at Toronto Local Court on Tuesday 2 June 2020.
• About 11.20pm yesterday, officers from Sydney City Police Area Command were at a licensed premise in Pyrmont for an unrelated matter when security advised them of a female walking on the premises who was subject to an exclusion order. Officers spoke to the woman who could not give a reasonable excuse for being out of her home. She was arrested and taken to Day St Police Station where she was charged with excluded person enter casino and not comply with noticed direction. The 39-year-old was refused bail to appear at Central Local Court today.

PINs include:

• About 8.30pm on Saturday (4 April 2020) officers from Sydney City Police Area Command were conducting a patrol in the CBD when they observed a woman who appeared to be intoxicated being assisted by a man on King Street. An ambulance was called and the woman was taken to St Vincent's Hospital for treatment. She was released early the following morning (Sunday 5 April 2020). Police conducted further inquiries and established the 27-year-old woman, a serving Senior Constable attached to Police Transport Command, and 31-year-old man had been at a nearby apartment with a 27-year-old man, a serving Senior Constable attached to Fairfield City Police Area Command, a 28-year-old man, and a 31-year-old woman. Earlier today (7 April 2020), officers from Sydney City Police Area Command issued all five individuals with $1000 PINs for failing to comply with noticed direction.
• About 4pm on Sunday, police were called to a Bateau Bay address after reports of a domestic incident. On arrival, officers from Tuggerah Lakes Police District located a male in his car outside the home. Following further inquiries, police established the 34-year-old male had returned from overseas on Monday 23 March 2020 and was required to be in self-isolation. The man was issued with a $1000 PIN.
• About 2.15pm yesterday, officers from Bankstown Police Area Command were patrolling the area around Middleton Park at Yagoona when they observed a group of four males. Police spoke with the males and they were given a formal warning for breaching a ministerial direction and issued a move on direction, which they complied with. A few hours later, around 4.45pm, police were patrolling the area around Parry Park at Greenacre when they observed a group of five males, one of which they had sighted in the group at Yagoona earlier in the day. The 18-year-old teenager was issued with a $1000 PIN and the remaining four were given move on directions.
• About 4.40pm yesterday, officers from Sydney City Police Area Command attended a business on Day Street after receiving information it was still operating. Officers spoke with the owner of the business, who was issued with a $5000 PIN, and a staff member and customer, who were each issued with $1000 PINs.
• About 4am yesterday, police were called to Crown Street, Woolloomooloo, following reports an unknown man was kicking a door of a home. Officers from Kings Cross Police Area Command attended a short time later and spoke with the 33-year-old man, with checks revealing he was subject to a Public Health order to self-isolate while he awaited COVID-19 test results. The Surry Hills man was issued an infringement and given a move-on direction.
• About 8.15pm yesterday, officers from Oxley Police District stopped a Toyota Kluger on Station Street, Quirindi, and spoke with the 37-year-old female driver and a 46-year-old male passenger. During a search of the vehicle, police located methylamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. The man was issued a court attendance notice for possess prohibited drug and possession of equipment for administering prohibited drugs. Further inquiries revealed the woman had been given a warning about non-essential travel about 10.30am while in Muswellbrook. They were each issued with a $1000 PIN and a move-on direction.
• About 12.50am yesterday, officers from Manning/ Great Lakes Police District spoke to a 49-year-old man standing beside his car parked at the Second Head Look Out. The man, from Dubbo, could not provide a legitimate reason for being there. He then entered his vehicle and allegedly reversed in the direction of the police vehicle, narrowly avoiding the driver's door, before driving into a bollard and attempting to flee on foot. Police approached the man when he entered his vehicle again and refused to leave. Shortly after, the man was arrested and taken to Forster Police Station. It is alleged the man also deliberately sneezed on police and told them he had COVID-19. The man was issued a $1000 PIN and infringed for negligent driving.
• About 1.20am yesterday officers from Sutherland Police Area Command were called to the intersection of Captain Cook Drive and Gannons Road, Woolooware, after a vehicle drove through a road closure barricade. Police spoke to a man with the vehicle who was unable to provide a reasonable excuse for leaving his Greenacre home. He was issued with a $1000 PIN.
• About 3.40am, Lake Illawarra police were patrolling Warilla and spoke to a man on Osborne Parade. When they asked the 20-year-old man what he was doing, he allegedly said he was walking home from drinking in the park. Following inquiries, police noted that the man had been issued a warning the previous day and he was subsequently issued with a $1000 PIN.
• About 4.35pm yesterday, officers from Bankstown Police Area Command were patrolling Parry Park at Greenacre and saw four men standing around a vehicle. One of the men, an 18-year-old, was recognised by officers as having been issued a formal warning for breaching the Public Health act, earlier in the day at Bass Hill. He was issued a $1,000 PIN for breaching the two-person rule. The other men complied with move-on directions

Since 17 March 2020, police have issued 10 Court Attendance Notices, and 122 PINs for breaches of the Public Health Act.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence.