Northern beaches’ man, 50, is first person jailed in NSW for breaching coronavirus public health order
A Sydney man has become the first person in NSW jailed for repeatedly breaching strict coronavirus stay at home rules.
Manly
Don't miss out on the headlines from Manly. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Man dies of COVID-19 at Northern Beaches Hospital
- Picture special: How Manly has changed due to COVID-19
A Sydney man has become the first person in NSW jailed for breaching tough new COVID-19 isolation rules.
Saimon Tuinukuafe Fasi, 50, of Beacon Hill, man was sentenced to two weeks in prison after he was arrested twice within hours on the northern beaches for failing to comply with the Public Health Act.
Fasi was also found guilty of trespassing.
And four men were each fined $1000 on Monday for breaching stay at home rules on the northern beaches.
As part of isolation rules to slow the spread of coronavirus, a person must stay at home unless they have a reasonable excuse such as going to work; a school or an educational institution; to shop for food and essentials, get medical care or supplies or do exercise.
Fasi was charged and failing to comply with the Public Health Act and enter encolsed lands after turning up at a block of flats on Pittwater Rd, Dee Why earlier this month.
On Thursday, April 2, and again on April 3, he was warned by police that he was in breach of both the COVID-19 isolating regulations and notices banning him from the apartment complex.
Police said that when Fasi turned up again on the evening of Saturday, April 4, he got into a heated argument with a passer-by. He then lit up a cigarette and did not leave the property.
He was arrested and charged with trespass and failing to comply with the COVID-19 regulations and given police bail.
Police were called back to the complex early on Sunday morning and again found Fasi smoking and again in breach of the distancing regulations.
He was arrested again and bail was refused.
Fasi was convicted in Manly Local Court on April 7 and jailed for two weeks for not comply with notice/direction (COVID-19).
He was also fined $500 for entering enclosed lands.
News of the jailing comes as Northern Beaches Police fined four men $1000 each for three separate COVID-19 health order offences on Monday.
Just after midnight on Monday police were called to Mike Pawley Oval at Curl Curl after reports of four young males, aged between 17 and 19, drinking alcohol and smoking in the grandstand.
Two of the males had been previously warned in relation to the public health orders and they were each given $1000 fines.
A man, 20, form Wheeler Heights, was issued a $1000 fine, for not having a reasonable excuse for leaving his home and being at a residence in Stroud Pl, Belrose at 7pm Monday.
The man was told to move along by officers but continued to argue with police and told them he was not going to leave.
He was given multiple warnings to leave but refused. The man was arrested and taken to Manly Police Station. He was released with a $1000 fine for not complying with the NSW Health Minister’s directive.
A man, 18, from Frenchs Forest was fined $1000 after police found several youths loitering in bushland at the end of Ralston Ave, Belrose at 6.15pm on Monday.
Police spoke to the man, who was sitting in his car, which also contained empty wine bottles and fast food packaging.
A week earlier the man had been given a verbal warning for breaching the Health Minister’s
direction.
NSW Health Stay at home rules:
You must stay at home, unless you are going to:
– work (where you can’t work remotely)
– school or an educational institution
– shop for food and essentials
– get medical care or supplies
– exercise.
You may only leave home with a reasonable excuse, including to:
– avoid injury or illness or escape a risk of harm
– deal with emergencies or on compassionate grounds
– access childcare
– provide care or assistance (including personal care) to a vulnerable person or to provide emergency assistance
– attend a wedding (limited to a total of 5 people) or funeral (limited to a total of 10 people, excluding the person/s necessary to conduct the funeral e.g. funeral director)
– move to a new place of residence, or between your different places of residence (a holiday is not an acceptable reason)
– donate blood
– undertake legal obligations
– access social services, employment services, services provided to victims (including as victims of crime), domestic violence services, and mental health services
– continue existing arrangements for access to, and contact between, parents and children for children who do not live in the same household as their parents or one of their parents
– if you are a priest, minister of religion or member of a religious order, go to a place of worship or to provide pastoral care.