Coronavirus: Sam Newman explodes over allegations he broke COVID-19 restrictions

Controversial AFL commentator Sam Newman has threatened legal action after he was accused of breaking Melbourne’s lockdown rules.

Former Footy Show star Sam Newman has exploded over allegations he was caught breaking Melbourne’s tough COVID-19 restrictions after being snapped having lunch with friends.

Pictures emerged of Newman having lunch with three other men in a park in Brighton on Tuesday, more than 12km from his home in Docklands.

Under current COVID-19 restrictions, Melbourne residents can’t travel more than 5km from their homes for shopping or exercise.

People are allowed to travel outside the 5km radius for permitted work, medical care, primary and secondary education, childcare and compassionate reasons.

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Docklands resident Sam Newman was spotted in Brighton having lunch in a park with friends. Picture: MEDIA-MODE.COM

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Newman was snapped grabbing sushi with former Footy Show producer Ralph Horowitz before the pair met up with former AFL star Don Scott and his son Doug at the park.

Pictures of the group having lunch were published in Daily Mail Australia, with the publication claiming Newman was “breaking lockdown laws”.

But the outspoken AFL commentator hit back against these claims, threatening legal action against the publication.

“Vexatious harassment is a crime. As I assured the knob-jockey, I have not broken ANY laws. Continue, and I will take FURTHER legal action,” he wrote in a furious Twitter post.

To the rag that publishes this shit. Vexatious harassment is a crime. As I assured the knob-jockey, I have not broken ANY laws. Continue, and I will take FURTHER legal action. @MailOnline pic.twitter.com/paNjJjEAjf

— Sam Newman (@Origsmartassam) September 30, 2020

Under current restrictions, five people from a maximum of two households can socialise together outdoors for up to two hours a day so long as they are all within 5km of their homes.

Each person must keep at least 1.5 metres from the other people in the group.

It is also still mandatory to wear a face mask when leaving home.

It was announced on Sunday that scarfs, bandanas or face shields were no longer acceptable coverings, with Victorians required to wear a fitted face mask.

The pictures of Newman taken on Tuesday showed him pulling his turtle neck over his mouth as a makeshift face covering.

RELATED: Sam Newman threatens to sue Channel 9

Newman was seen pulling his turtle neck over his mouth instead of wearing a mask. Picture: MEDIA-MODE.COM

Newman claims he wasn’t breaking any COVID-19 restrictions. Picture: MEDIA-MODE.COM

When contacted by Daily Mail Australia, Newman claimed he had a “perfectly legitimate” reason to be at the park, but reportedly refused to go into further detail about what exempted him from the 5km radius rule.

“I had a perfectly legitimate reason to be there and I don’t have to explain myself to you or anyone else,” he said.

Newman has repeatedly criticised Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews for the lockdown restrictions placed on Melbourne.

When the Premier announced a further easing of restrictions on Sunday, Newman shared his fury after restrictions around golf were kept in place.

Andrews has become Victoria’s dopey Joe Biden. To say communal swimming is ok (because it doesn’t require a facility), but GOLF is not, shows the IQ required of an elected official. Unwittingly, he has given consent for sedition. #victorialockdown

— Sam Newman (@Origsmartassam) September 27, 2020

At the start of September the former Footy Show host received a warning from Victoria Police after he called for residents to protest against the state’s coronavirus restrictions.

“Of all the protests that we have put up with, how about ¼ million of us gather in the CBD to take the City/State back, before EVERY previous march will have been pointless,” he wrote in a Twitter post.

“And hopefully a State day of co-ordination. Any takers. #StateofSurvival.”

His comments came as anti-lockdown protesters were already clashing with police in Melbourne, with one commenter accusing Newman of “inciting a riot”.

In response to one critic, Newman called the protest “an expression of desperation for our sanity”, vowing there’d be no “rioting, looting, arson or violence”.

Newman has been extremely outspoken against the state’s COVID-19 restrictions. Picture: Instagram

But a few days later Newman was issued an official warning by Victoria Police for his comments and was told he would be arrested if he held a rally or attended one.

Newman quickly changed his tune when speaking to Sunrise following the official warning, claiming his call for the protest was a “hyperbole”.

“I said wouldn’t it be great to have 250,000 people wandering through the city – I don’t encourage people to do that but it was just a sign that this government should cautiously reopen business enterprises in the city before it rusts over,” he told the program.

“I didn’t encourage a quarter of a million people to march through the street … I said theoretically, wouldn’t it be a great idea?

“I’m not asking people to come from all over Victoria to protest and I’m not trying to get the police involved.

“If they want to arrest me and put me in jail for this, that’s fine. But I’m not suggesting it and never did in the first place.”