Son of Byron Bay Covid ‘patient zero’ Zoran Radovanovic charged

The son of Sydney businessman Zoran Radovanovic, who allegedly sparked Byron’s lockdown has also been charged with breaching public health orders.

The son of a Rose Bay man, believed to be Byron Bay’s ‘patient zero’ has been charged for breaching public health orders after accompanying his father to the state’s north coast.

Kristian Radovanovic, 19, has been charged after leaving Sydney and travelling to Byron Bay, allegedly accompanying businessman and convicted criminal, 52-year-old Zoran Radovanovic.

Following inquiries at 4.20pm on Thursday August 12, Tweed/Byron PD officers issued a 19-year-old man with a Court Attendance Notice for four offences, including; fail to comply with noticed direction re section 7/8/9 – COVID-19 – individual, fail to comply with electronic registration directive – individual (two counts), and not wear fitted face covering in public transport/taxi.

The younger Radovanovic will appear before the court on September 27, while his father is expected to face court on September 13.

Kristian Radovanovic.

The 19-year-old was caught drink driving twice in three days on Sydney’s northern beaches last year.

After facing Court in October Radovanovic was disqualified from driving for 12 months on the police pursuit charge, disqualified for three months on the two drink driving charges and for six months for driving while suspended.

He was also placed on three Community Corrections Orders, which included attending drug and alcohol counselling and fined a total of $800.

Zoran Radovanovic is understood to be remaining tight-lipped to both NSW Health contract tracers and police who want to know about his movements in travelling from Sydney to Byron Bay.

So steadfast is he in his refusal to talk, at this stage authorities have been unable to even determine exactly when he left his Rose Bay home or when he contracted Covid-19.

Radovanovic remains in Lismore Base Hospital while his two teenage children — including Kristian — have also tested positive to Covid and are in isolation.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that in addition to he and his children — Radovanovic’s wife Tiana, who did not travel north — is currently in a Sydney hospital Covid ward.

He was granted bail from his hospital bed and will face Lismore Local Court on September 13.

Police sources said Radovanovic’s alleged refusal to use QR check-ins throughout his journey north, his reluctance to talk to health authorities and police, and the fact they were unable to speak with his sick wife, is leading to confusion and fear about to what extent the virus has potentially spread.

Police have charged Zoran Radovanovic for travelling to Byron Bay.

With the whole family in hospital or isolation, all that’s left at their Rose Bay home is two large dogs.

One man who knew Radovanovic and agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity confirmed claims he was something of a Covid sceptic.

“We knew from pretty early on last year when it kicked off,” the man said.

“Right around the time when people were being more cautious and not shaking each others hands, wearing masks and that, he kept saying it was just a mild flu.

“But he was always a pretty decent bloke and very generous to those around him.”

It is understood Radovanovic initially claimed his travel to the state’s north was to look at property.

The loophole exists under the current public health orders to allow people to travel for this reason, but the rules are designed to apply in circumstances such as a marriage breakdown when one person needs to find a new place to live, or a doctor working in both Byron Bay and Sydney.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said he has asked the government‘s lawyers to look at whether travel exemptions for people to inspect property could be tightened, but there has so far been no changes to the rules.

Radovanovic’s criminal history was revealed in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in 2000 when he was given the benefit of the doubt to remain in Australia with his wife Tiana MacDowell, against whom he has recently been accused of breaching a restraining order taken out by police to protect her.

The 52-year-old has made regular appearances before the courts in relation to a series of domestic violence charges.

In 2018 he pleaded guilty to two separate counts of common assault and two separate counts of contravening a restraining order and was placed on a good behaviour bond for 12 months, ordered to complete 100 hours of community service and fined $500.

Most recently he was charged with destroying or damaging property and breaching a restraining order, expected to appear before Downing Centre Local Court on October 28.

In February 1992, Radovanovic was also convicted in Melbourne’s Prahran Magistrates’ Court of two counts of burglary, theft and theft of a car.

He was sentenced to six months’ jail on each charge to be served concurrently.