Grand final border jumper Hayden Burbank freed from prison

The Melbourne Demons fan who was jailed for breaching WA’s border rules celebrated his freedom with drinks at his Toorak house.

Demons fan Hayden Burbank celebrated the end of three months in jail – for breaching health orders to sneak into Perth for the AFL grand final – with drinks at his plush Toorak house on Tuesday night.

With his Chapel St bar closed for the night, the socialite opted to celebrate from home, arriving with a carload of guests in his Range Rover.Other high-flyers soon arrived, with one woman wearing a cocktail dress and high heels while another couple carried a champagne bottle into the Ross St property.

A van arrived with a man seen unloading what appeared to be a large cake box and carrying it into the house.

A man holding a champagne flute made a quick dash to his car to retrieve an item while there were cheers when some late arrivals made it to the party.

The low key gathering would not have numbered more than a dozen as the group celebrated Burbank’s freedom.

Hayden Burbank arrives at Melbourne Airport. Picture: 7 News

Burbank spent three months in jail.

People arrive at Burbank’s house. Picture: Tony Gough

Despite spending months behind bars, there appeared to be no love lost between Burbank and his beloved team, with a Demons sticker remaining on the back window of his luxury 4WD.

More guests continued to drop by throughout the night, with some forced to park at the end of the leafy street.

While his guests were spotted making their way to and leaving the gathering, the disgraced fan kept a low profile, choosing to remain out of view from the street.

A person can be seen entering the home with a bottle of wine. Picture: Tony Gough

Dance music could be heard playing from the soirée. Picture: Tony Gough

It is not clear whether his financial planner mate Mark Babbage, 38, who was also jailed over the grand final trip, has been released from prison, too.

Mr Burbank, the owner of Melbourne’s Morris Jones cocktail bar, broke his silence at Melbourne Airport.

“We are deeply sorry for our selfish and stupid decisions we made,” he told reporters at Melbourne Airport on Monday afternoon.

“Even though we were both double vaccinated before we left Melbourne, we both received a negative test result in Darwin before arriving in Perth.

“The time in jail has made us realise and understand the seriousness of our offending.”

Morris Jones owner Hayden Burbank (left) broke border rules.

Burbank on the ground at Optus Stadium after the Demons’ grand final win.

Burbank and Babbage’s elaborate and illegal efforts to see the Melbourne Dees win a drought breaking flag on September 25 came unfurled in the days after the game.

Mr Burbank posted multiple photos while celebrating the historic flag to his social media accounts, including one in the Demons’ changerooms rubbing shoulders with players and coaches.

At the time it was illegal to enter Western Australia from Victoria without quarantining for 14 days. Attending a footy match was also not one of the five permitted reasons to leave home in Victoria under tight chief health officer restrictions.

The pair flew to the Northern Territory, forged documents and then flew to Perth.

Days after the AFL grand final, Western Australia Police released photos of the two men, saying they were wanted fugitives who had breached strict border policies.

Hayden Burbank arrives at his Toorak home after his three-month stint in jail. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Burbank and Mark Babbage with the premiership cup in the club’s rooms.

Burbank and Babbage were holidaying at Margaret River, south of Perth, when details of the nationwide manhunt broke. They handed themselves into police on Tuesday, September 28 and were in custody until Monday.

They have been under 23-hour lockdown in Perth’s Hakea prison after pleading guilty to fraud and Covid-19 breaches. The remainder of Mr Burbank’s 10-month jail term will be suspended.

Rumours of a party to celebrate his return have been circulating among Melbourne’s cocktail sipping crowd.

The lawyers who represented the pair have both been contacted for comment.

“I will not be making any comment on that matter,” Burbank’s lawyer Andrew Tehan said on Monday afternoon.