Nelly Yoa doubles down on calls for minister Danny Pearson’s resignation

Serial fantasist Nelly Yoa has again claimed he told COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria about his criminal history, but is yet to provide any proof.

Nelly Yoa may have worked in Victoria’s hotel quarantine system. Picture: AAP Image/David Crosling

Serial fantasist Nelly Yoa has doubled down on calls for Government Services Minister Danny Pearson to resign in a bizarre press conference.

Yoa fronted the media on Thursday afternoon claiming to have proof that he had provided COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria with details of his criminal history during the application process.

But while documents shown to the Herald Sun did show his criminal record, there was no evidence he had provided them to the department.

He said he would provide an email chain, currently on his phone, as further evidence later on but this has not yet been supplied.

Yoa, who has previously pleaded guilty to perjury, has denied statements by Mr Pearson and CQV that he did not inform the department of his criminal history during the application process.

He received training but did not work when it was due to start in January, with CQV on Wednesday issuing him with a show cause notice.

Yoa said he had since spoken to the department and claimed to have provided evidence backing up his statements.

“Danny Pearson has gone into parliament and misled the parliament,” he said.

“(He has) Literally thrown me under the bus.

“I urge him to either resign to apologise to myself.

“I’ve got email taglines that I’ve disclosed my criminal history ... I’ve done that on three occasions.”

Asked about the issue on Thursday morning, Mr Pearson stood by his previous statements about the application process.

Yoa said he would have been a good employee if he had worked for CQV.

“I’m very enthusiastic,” he said.

“Hence why I was hired. I went to about three different interviews.

“For them to hire me, you know, speaks volumes.”

The state government earlier accused Yoa of lying his way into a job with Victoria’s contact tracing team.

Government Services minister Danny Pearson said an investigation had been launched after Yoa allegedly lied about his criminal record.

He said all recruits were expected to reveal any criminal record sparking attacks from the opposition about why proper checks weren’t conducted.

“The individual was employed, did some training, didn’t work a shift, was not engaged as a contact tracer,” Mr Pearson said.

Nelly Yoa once claimed runner Usain Bolt was present at the birth of his child. Picture: AAP Image/David Crosling

Mr Pearson said he had asked COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria to undertake an audit of its police check processes.

But Yoa has denied that he had withheld information from COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria.

“I 100 per cent did disclose my criminal record and my criminal offence back in November,” he told the Herald Sun.

“I’ve just checked with CQV about that and I’ve even given them a copy of my criminal record prior to the training.

“Until today, I’m still employed. I’m still contracted to November this year.”

Yoa said he had participated in training but that this was not related to contract tracing

“It was working as a field officer, being much pretty much the frontline worker,” he said.

Yoa, who has previously pleaded guilty to perjury, accused Mr Pearson of misleading parliament with his comments.

“He should apologise to the parliament,” he said.

“You can’t just make up stuff trying to cover it up.”

HOW YOA’S NEW CAREER EMERGED

Yoa appeared in Ballarat Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday on assault charges, where his new career was revealed.

He pleaded guilty to two charges of unlawful assault.

His lawyer Hazel Whalley said Yoa started a 12-month contract working for the state government in December.

“He is gainfully employed, he works for the Department of Justice under their hotel quarantine facilities, he essentially conducts contact tracing via phone for persons returning from overseas,” Ms Whalley told the court.

But Premier Daniel Andrews on Wednesday denied he was part of the state’s contact tracing team — instead, he indicated Yoa may have worked in the hotel quarantine system.

“I don’t believe he was a contact tracer, he might have worked, had a role for a short time, with CQV and I will refer you to them to provide you with the details.”

The court heard the 18-year-old victim was working out at the Jetts Wendouree Gym on August 19, 2019, when he was assaulted twice by Yoa.

Nelly Yoa was once a promising athlete.

Yoa confronted the teen, who was using gym machinery, by standing over him, calling him a “little bitch” and challenging him to “come out the front”.

When the teen failed to retaliate, Yoa struck his face with an open hand.

He then struck the youth’s face a second time.

Later, Yoa again confronted the ex-teammate, who was still at the gym and had texted his brother to come out of fear of being attacked, telling him, “I want to bash you right now, come outside”.

At this point, his victim started video recording him, which prompted Yoa to begin boasting that he had sex with the teen’s girlfriend.

Yoa then slapped the phone out of the victim’s hands and onto the ground.

Charges alleging Yoa posted a $500 bounty for the capture of his former teammate on Instagram were struck out by magistrate Noreen Toohey.

The court heard the father-of-three’s offending happened just six days after he was resentenced in the County Court to a three-year community corrections order, following a successful appeal of a jail sentence for perjury.

The father of three has made a number of headline-grabbing claims. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Ms Whalley said despite her client breaching his court order, there was “very high compliance”, with Yoa having completed unpaid community service, drug treatment and continuing to receive mental health support.

Ms Toohey said Yoa was entitled to a discounted sentence because of his guilty plea, but labelled his conduct “disgraceful” and “totally unacceptable”.

“The victim had done absolutely nothing wrong, he was simply at the gym,” she said.

“You’re a dad of three small children, you’re a role model for those children … how would you like it for this to occur to one of your children? You wouldn’t.”

Yoa was fined $3000 and convicted.

Outside court, Yoa said it was a “great outcome”, and he didn’t think he would receive a harsher penalty in the County Court for breaching his order.

Yoa said he harboured political aspirations and wanted to run as an independent within the next five years.

“I think we need a bit of diversity in our parliament,” he said.

Along with previously crashing the Brownlow’s red carpet ceremony, Yoa has in the past made other headline-grabbing claims, which include Usain Bolt being present at the birth of his child and that he was a brand ambassador for Nike and American Express.

[e-mail]