Darren and Jannine Lay: Mildura parents COVID charges withdrawn

Mildura parents are no longer in hot water after taking their children 40 minutes from home during Victoria’s COVID lockdown.

Darren and Jannine Lay did not appear at Mildura Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, when charges against them were withdrawn.

Parents who were accused of driving 40 minutes from their Mildura house during Victorian stay-at-home COVID directions last year have had charges against them dropped.

But at the Mildura Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, Darren and Jannine Lay’s charges of failing to comply with the chief health officer’s direction were withdrawn.

The pair had indicated they would plead not guilty to failing to comply with the chief health officer’s direction.

Mr Lay was also pleading not guilty to giving a false name.

Neither Mr and Mrs Lay did appeared in court and no reason was given for the withdrawal of charges.

At an earlier appearance the parents had argued they’d gone on the drive to give their “cooped up” kids some exercise.

In February police told the court, officers met the pair at Police Bend on the Murray River at Nangiloc, at 3pm on April 12 last year.

At the time regional Victorians were only allowed to leave the home for four reasons but a 5km travel limit was not in place.

It was alleged the pair were sitting in the open boot of a car drinking what appeared to be white wine or chardonnay while their children played near the river.

The court previously heard both were alleged to have been reluctant to talk to police, with Mr Lay described as being “openly hostile”.

Police said he provided them with the false name “Bob Smith”.

It was estimated the pair, who were issued with $1652 fines, had travelled at least 40 minutes by car from their Mildura residence.

The pair claimed the family had been “cooped up” in an inner city apartment with no backyard and were giving their children the chance to exercise along the river.

Mrs Lay said the stay-at-home directions had included the right to leave home for exercise.

She said there had been “a little bit of a grey area” about how that applied to parents supervising children who needed to exercise.

When previously asked by Magistrate Michael Coghlan if they believed the chief health officer’s directions were unlawful, Mr Lay replied: “Absolutely that’s what we’re saying.”

The pair disputed the police claim about drinking alcohol, saying they were drinking soda water.

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