Frankston ‘Karen’ anti-masker Mandy Crerar refusing to take COVID-19 test or appear in court, remanded into custody again
Frankston ‘Karen’ Mandy Crerar, accused of going on a coughing, abusive tirade at a cafe, is refusing to take a COVID-19 test or front court.
South East
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An anti-masker ‘Karen’ remanded into custody for allegedly coughing on Frankston cafe staff and assaulting police is refusing to take a COVID-19 test while she languishes in custody.
Mandy Crerar also refused to appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court by video link on Friday morning and will remain in remand quarantine until her next hearing date.
The staunch anti-authoritarian’s hardline stance against the pandemic means she will have spent two weeks in isolation in a prison cell because she doesn’t believe coronavirus is real.
The 58-year-old woman from Frankston had been denied bail at a hearing on August 12 because she refused to guarantee she would wear a mask in public.
Magistrate Charles Tan said Ms Crerar’s lawyer had sent a letter to the court outlining her views.
He said the letter stated she was declining to appear on the court’s audio visual link, which was scheduled for 10am on Friday, and had refused to take a coronavirus test.
Mr Tan said she would be staying in isolation until her next listed court appearance the following Tuesday.
The court has previously heard Ms Crerar is accused of coughing on staff and customers at a Frankston cafe and allegedly assaulting police on August 11.
She is alleged to have caused a scene at Cafe Fleur by Jen in Beach St, Frankston because she had been refused service for not wearing a mask.
Dubbed a social media ‘Karen’ for not following public health guidelines, Ms Crerar also refused to answer COVID-19 questions posed by police.
Ms Crerar allegedly resisted arrest before she was subdued and taken to Frankston police station for interview, where police say she continued to be uncooperative.
She faces a total of nine assault, affray, resisting emergency worker and failing to comply with Chief Health Officer’s direction charges.
On August 12 her defence lawyer told the court that Ms Crerar held anti-authoritarian views and believed she didn’t need to abide by public health restrictions imposed due to the supposed pandemic.
He said she did not show any symptoms of the virus, there was no evidence she intentionally coughed at anyone and she would be contesting the charges.
Ms Crerar was remanded in custody and is listed to face court again for a second bail application on August 25.
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