Police explain why Sydney lockdown escapee was not charged

The Covid-positive Sydney man who flouted restrictions and triggered a statewide panic has shown no remorse and says he isn’t fazed by the public reaction to his actions, adding that he “just wanted to get out of there”.

Queensland police fined Sydney man George Thompson almost $10,000 rather than charge him with a criminal offence in order to “deal with it immediately” after he flouted a number of Covid restrictions while infected with the virus.

Mr Thompson on Wednesday told Nine News he had “no idea” he was positive for Covid-19 when crossing into Queensland, saying he had fled NSW to visit Ms Gray.

Asked if he understood why people were angry about him crossing the border, he said it was “all fair enough”, claiming he was not fazed by public reaction.

“I just wanted to get out of there,” he said.

“Just let them think what they want because I don’t really take it to heart.”

The 26-year-old flew from a locked-down Sydney to Ballina two weeks ago where he was collected by Qantaslink flight attendant Malynda Gray and driven into Queensland.

Police said Mr Thompson used someone else’s details to check into venues in Brisbane before he was identified as a close contact of Ms Gray once she tested positive to Covid-19.

Sydney man George Thompson has copped fines of almost $10,000 for Covid-19 border breaches.

It was only after Ms Gray tested positive that authorities in Queensland discovered she’d contracted the virus from the Sydney tradie.

But Mr Thompson spent about 24 hours in hotel quarantine before being moved to hospital, allegedly without disclosing he’d been contacted by New South Wales authorities to say he had coronavirus.

In that time, police have ­alleged Mr Thompson repeatedly opened his hotel room door without a mask and verbally abused staff, despite knowing he was infectious.

Queensland Health discovered his Covid status after running their own test.

Mr Thompson was handed three fines totalling almost $10,000 for failing to comply with a border direction, providing untrue information and failing to comply with a ­direction from an emergency officer.

Flight attendant Malynda Gray with former boyfriend Rick Maddison.

Ms Gray was fined $4135 for failing to comply with a border direction by driving Mr Thompson into Queensland.

Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said the fines meant police would “not get caught up in court actions”.

“Nearly $10,000 worth of fines sends a very clear message – not only to that person, but for everyone else in the community – how serious this is,” he said.