Police have charged two people under the Public Health Act 2010 (NSW) and issued 10 COVID-19-related Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) for offences within the past 24 hours.
Yesterday's charges:
• About 4am yesterday (Thursday 23 April 2020), officers from Sydney City Police Area Command were called to a hotel in Sydney's CBD in relation to a loud party being held in one of the rooms. When officers arrived, there were only two people left in the room. One of those people – an 18-year-old man – admitted he was there "to hang out with friends". Checks revealed the man had been previously issued with a PIN for breaching the Public Health Act. It will be alleged that as officers moved in to arrest him, he resisted and assaulted police, before being brought under control and taken to Day Street Police Station. The Punchbowl man was charged with resist officer in execution of duty, assault officer in execution of duty, and not comply with noticed direction. He was refused bail and appeared before Central Local Court yesterday, where he was given conditional bail. The man is due to re-appear before the Downing Centre Local Court on 4 June 2020.
• About 4.30pm, officers from the Mt Druitt Proactive Crime Team were patrolling when they stopped and spoke with three men at a shopping centre in Mt Druitt. Checks revealed one of the men, aged 31, had previously been given three PINS for breaching the Public Health Act. Once again, the man could not provide a reasonable excuse for being away from his home. He was subsequently charged with not comply with noticed direction and is due to appear before Mt Druitt Local Court at a future date.
Yesterday's PINs include:
• About 8.50pm, officers attached to Mid North Coast Police District stopped a vehicle on Sydney Street, Kempsey. The driver, a 32-year-old man, was spoken to by police and identified as someone who was required to be in self isolation. The man, who had previously been warned for similar breaches of the Public Health Act, the man was issued with a PIN.
• About 10.30am, officers attached to Surry Hills Police Area Command responded to reports a man was allegedly harassing members of the public at Albion Street, Surry Hills. On arrival, they spoke with a 50-year-old man who had received a warning several hours earlier for not having a valid excuse for being away from his registered address in Parramatta. He was fined $1000 and directed to return home. About 3.10pm, officers from Kings Cross Police Area Command spoke to the man at Darlinghurst Road, Kings Cross, and again he was unable to provide a reason for not being home. He was issued with a second PIN for failing to comply with ministerial directions.
• About 7pm, officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District were patrolling Catherine Hill Bay when they spoke with a man and woman, both aged 33. Neither were able to provide a reasonable excuse for not being home. The woman had received a warning three days earlier (Monday 20 April 2020) and was issued with a PIN. The man was given a formal warning and directed to return home.
• About 11.50pm, officers attached to Campbelltown City Police Area Command were conducting proactive patrols on Harold Street, Macquarie Fields, targeting drug-related crime and anti-social behaviour. Police approached two men after allegedly seeing one of them dispose of a knife. They were unable to provide a reasonable excuse for not being home at the time. Following inquiries, an 18-year-old was charged with custody of knife in public place and issued with a court attendance notice. He was given a formal warning for breaching COVID-19 restrictions. The second man, aged 23, was identified as having received a warning previously for not complying with ministerial directions and was issued with a 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.
