COVID-19 restrictions: Michael Noack of Eltham caught repeatedly breaking lockdown

A man who repeatedly ignored COVID-19 restrictions — and allegedly committed a series of thefts — has led a magistrate to say those who wilfully broke lockdown rules could face the criminal charge of reckless conduct endangering serious injury.

Noack has been hit with two fines for breaching COVID-19 restrictions. (Generic photo)

People who “selfishly” ignore the COVID-19 restrictions could face the criminal charge of reckless conduct endangering serious injury, a magistrate says.

Michael Noack was denied bail before Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on Monday, August 17, having allegedly repeatedly committed thefts on bail and having repeatedly breached the state’s COVID-19 regulations.

The court heard the 25-year-old had been hit with two fines over the stay-at-home regulations separate to his alleged thefts — for visiting friends and for leaving the house without a valid reason.

Magistrate Jennifer Tregent said she found it very serious that Noack had exposed the community to “risk of ongoing infections and ongoing lockdowns” because of a desire to hang out with his friends.

“There might be the situation where reckless conduct endangering serious injury might be charges which might start to spring to mind in terms of people who behave in such a selfish and reckless manner,” she said.

Ms Tregent deemed Noack a risk of continuing to breach the health restrictions “imposed on every other citizen” as well as an unacceptable risk of committing crimes and failing to answer bail when she denied his application.

She said Noack’s lawyer also hadn’t established exceptional circumstances as to why he should be granted bail.

The court heard Noack allegedly stole a bike while running from police in Eltham on Friday, August 14.

Police allegedly saw Noack run from his house, through his backyard and jump the back fence when they went to arrest him about 9.35am.

Senior Constable Lauren Wilson said police found Noack elsewhere in Eltham about 10am, riding a bicycle he had stolen from a woman after fleeing the house.

The day before he had allegedly been caught riding a 14-year-old boy’s bicycle, worth $750, that was stolen from outside Woolworths Eltham on August 1.

Noack was on bail after he was allegedly caught on CCTV stealing a bicycle from Eltham Village Shopping Centre on April 2, and was found hiding in his mum’s wardrobe when police went to his home to arrest him on June 30.

Senior Constable Wilson said police entered the house after no one answered the door, then found him hiding after 15 minutes, before he resisted arrest and screamed at police.

Noack also allegedly stole trays of frozen doughnuts and frozen sausage rolls when he broke into a locked ice box at Eltham’s United petrol station about 1am on February 1.

He has also been charged with breaking into a Toyota at Eltham station in November and stealing $3000 of Milwaukee power tools.

Lawyer David Rofe said Noack would be especially vulnerable in custody as an Indigeneous person suffering from anxiety and depression.

He said it could take some time to resolve Noack’s case because of the delays on the court system caused by COVID-19.

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