Free butter chicken for a year for Werribee man Noel Atkinson who was fined $1652
A Werribee construction worker fined $1652 for driving to the city to satisfy a craving for butter chicken has vowed to fight the penalty, despite being offered free curry for a year.
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A man who was fined $1652 for picking up a late-night curry says it’s been “easier to digest” after the restaurant offered him free butter chicken for a year.
And he said he was planning to contest the fine.
Victoria Police announced on Saturday it had dished out a penalty to a man for breaching stay-at-home orders when he travelled from Werribee to the city to buy a specific butter chicken.
The case attracted international headlines and prompted several restaurants to launch a search for “Mr butter chicken”.
Now the man himself, construction worker Noel Atkinson, has spoken to the Times of India to explain why he made the 32km journey to get takeaway.
Mr Atkinson said he drove to the city about 11pm last Friday because all the nearby Indian restaurants were closed and the one he found open in the city didn’t deliver to Werribee.
The 48-year-old said he was pulled over by police when he got to the city.
“I told police I was out to buy food but was ordered to go home. Cops followed me for some time to make sure I was headed back,” he told the Times of India.
Mr Atkinson said he would challenge the fine.
“I don’t think the rules are clear on how far a person is allowed to travel for food or takeaway. I will ask police to waive off the fine or approach the local court,” he told the Times of India.
The fine prompted Desi Dhaba – the restaurant Mr Atkinson visited – to offer him free butter chicken for a year.
In a Facebook post the restaurant said: “there is no greater love than the love of food”.
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