Man fined for flying to NSW and driving around rural areas because he was ‘sick of Covid’

NSW’s top cop was baffled at a man’s public health order breach, which involved a car crash, a kangaroo and a bizarre excuse for leaving home.

A man has been fined $1000 after he flew from Queensland to New South Wales and spent 10 days driving around rural areas on back roads because he was “sick of Covid”, police have revealed.

Police said the man came undone when he struck a kangaroo in a rental vehicle during a crash at Mendooran in the state’s central west, which is 348 kilometres west of Sydney and 75 kilometres from Dubbo.

The man’s roadtrip was one fine among a whopping 736 penalty infringement notices handed out by NSW Police across the state on Tuesday.

“(On Tuesday) police were called to a place called Mendooran which is near Dubbo,” NSW deputy commissioner Gary Worboys said.

“They spoke to a fellow there who had an accident in his car, (he) struck a kangaroo. That person told police, quite willingly, he arrived about 10 days ago from Queensland.

“He came to the airport, he hired a car and he decided that he would travel around country New South Wales on back roads because he was sick of Covid, that he needed to get out and about.

“This person, once he had those difficulties, local people were called to assist him and quickly reported his behaviour to police and he was issued a $1,000 infringement notice.”

It is understood the man flew into Sydney Airport earlier this month. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

People who have been in greater Sydney are not allowed to travel unless they have a permit or exemption.

The man was directed by police to return to Sydney, to a nominated address.

Deputy commissioner Worboys also flagged a $5000 fine given to a man at Padstow for leaving his home after being instructed to remain in his property during a morning visit from police and the defence force.

However when authorities returned in the afternoon the man had allegedly left his property.

“He tried to tell police that he was taking (out) the garbage bins which was clearly not the case,” deputy commissioner Worboys said.

“The man returned to speak to police out the front of his home. He was issued a $5,000 penalty notice.”

Deputy commissioner Worboys said police were gathering intelligence and learning patterns of behaviour about individuals who breach health orders.

“These people (breaching public health orders) need to understand that it's not just a tick-in-the-box check that police and ADF (conduct),” he said.

“We will understand the people’s movements, we will understand the household, we’ll gather intelligence and information that makes this process in terms of checking on people that should be isolating, who should be in their home, that they remain good to that and they do not put the community at risk.”