Over 300 alleged ‘Covidiots’ charged with flouting SA laws
They are the defendants who sneaked across the border, went out partying when in quarantine, trashed their medi-hotel room or lied to police when busted. Here’s 45 people who pleaded guilty to SA Covid rule breaches.
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More than 300 people were charged with breaching Covid restrictions during the height of the pandemic with many of those draining taxpayer dollars by spending time in jail.
While some offenders were spared convictions, others from places as far flung as Fannie Bay in the Northern Territory and Ballarat in Victoria have been lashed by the courts for endangering South Australians.
Figures released by South Australian Police show 314 people were arrested and charged with breaching the Emergency Management Act.
One person was issued with a formal caution and a further 11 were reported for their offending with court dates set to take place later.
The vast majority of those were arrested in border regions with 67 being arrested in the Limestone Coast alone.
A review of the hundreds of cases which have come before magistrates courts across the state shows the range of offending discovered by police.
Benjamin Michael Priori, 31, was jailed for 38 days for trying to drive through the border at Oodla Wirra.
Jonathon Justin Shorley, 42, spent 14 days in custody after sneaking into Adelaide aboard a Victorian freight train.
Matthew Edward Hilli, 43, spent 18 days in custody after becoming bogged in back roads while trying to sneak across the border into South Australia.
The offending raised the ire of Police Minister Vincent Tarzia who lashed the offenders for risking the lives of those who were obeying the rules.
“The hundreds of selfish idiots who breached COVID-19 directions should hang their heads in shame for risking public safety during the pandemic,” he said.
“Those who landed behind bars earned it and those who didn’t can count themselves as lucky.
“There is no excuse for this reckless behaviour and our hardworking SAPOL officers have done an incredible job protecting South Australians – and catching these halfwits.”
Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said that the “overwhelming majority of South Australians” and those who had entered the state had followed the government issued directions.
However, he said some had shown a blatant disregard for the directions and police had been forced to resort to arrests and fines.
“It is disappointing when anyone’s actions in breaching Covid-19 directions undermines the collective efforts of the community,” he said.
“However, the number of directions impacting on public activities and movement into the State over the last two years, it is evident the number of people detected breaching Covid directions is really in the minority.”
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