Police drop Covid rule breach charge against top Thai restaurant Golden Boy

A popular CBD eatery has had a charge of breaching Covid rules dropped after the owner vowed to fight the $5000 fine.

A top Adelaide restaurant has had a charge of breaching Covid-19 rules withdrawn during a pre-trial hearing.

Golden Boy, a Thai restaurant on North Terrace, was hit with the fine on February 27 this year when there were strict capacity rules in place following the emergence of the Parafield cluster which forced a statewide lockdown.

Prosecutors initially alleged that the restaurant had breached the restrictions by exceeding the number of diners allowed in the venue.

Police issued the fine after attending the restaurant and performing a headcount.

An expiation notice was mailed to the owners weeks later alleging a breach of Covid restrictions.

However, during a pre-trial hearing in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on November 23, prosecutors indicated they would be withdrawing the charge.

Golden Boy Thai restaurant has had a fine dropped for an alleged breach of Covid capacity restrictions.

Golden Boy owner James Hillier confirmed the case was over and he was setting his sights ahead to the restaurant’s busiest period.

“Naturally we are very happy with this outcome and we were very impressed with how fairly it was handled by the prosecutor given the circumstances,” he said.

Adelaide hospitality operator and Golden Boy owner James Hillier.

“The whole Covid period has been very stressful for all of us and so we are very happy to have some good news.

“Now we can focus on maintaining our extensive antivirus protocols now that the borders are open and we are preparing for our busiest time of the year.

“Fingers crossed the Christmas season can be incident free for everyone in the industry.”

Under the Emergency Management Act, a person or body corporate can be given a fine or charged for disobeying directions set down by the state co-ordinator.

Mostly the cases which have come before the court have been against people who have breached Covid restrictions by leaving hotel quarantine or trying to sneak into the state.

The maximum penalty for an offence, as distinct from an expiation notice, is a $20,000 fine or two years in prison for a person, or a $75,000 fine for a body corporate.