Disgraced Qld cop pleads guilty to illegally helping daughter cross border

The reason a Queensland cop illegally helped his daughter cross the state border at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic has been revealed in court.

A Queensland cop who illegally helped his daughter cross the state border at the height of the state’s Covid restrictions was only acting as a “loving dad” trying to help his child, a court has been told.

Robert William Eickenloff was admonished for his “gross breach of trust” in escorting his adult daughter Maddison into Queensland in September last year while assuring officers her paperwork had checked out.

At the time, strict restrictions were in place across the Sunshine State’s border in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and an ongoing lockdown in NSW.

Dressed in a black suit, Eickenloff sat silently in the dock of Brisbane District Court on Thursday as he faced a sentencing hearing for the deceptive act.

He pleaded guilty to a single count of misconduct in a public office.

Queensland Senior Constable Robert William Eickenloff pleaded guilty to escorting his daughter over the state border without a valid pass in September last year. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

The court was told Eickenloff, 56, was stationed on the border of Queensland and NSW at the time of the offence in September last year.

Heavy border restrictions were in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with vehicles being checked they had valid passes to enter the state.

Eickenloff’s daughter Maddison was working in Thredbo and applied for a special entry pass on September 12 to enter from NSW.

She then travelled towards Queensland a day later.

On September 15, Eickenloff travelled to the Gold Coast on a police motorbike to meet Maddison and escorted her across the border.

He assured other officers that he had checked her paperwork and she was approved to come into Queensland.

Eickenloff’s daughter Maddison (pictured) did not have a pass to enter Queensland.

One officer noted the woman’s vehicle was loaded with items indicating she was going to live in Queensland – something her pass did not allow her to do.

Eickenloff was charged with misconduct on September 21, 2021.

Maddison is not facing criminal charges but was fined more than $4000 and ordered into hotel quarantine for breaching the chief health officer's directions.

Eickenloff was charged with misconduct in a public office.Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Troy Schmidt, Eickenloff’s defence barrister, said his client’s daughter was struggling with severe mental health issues in Thredbo due to the lockdowns that were crippling NSW at the time.

The court was told that Eickenloff was fearful his daughter may take her own life.

Mr Schmidt explained that Eickenloff was attempting to bring Maddison back to her support networks in Queensland – an act of a “loving dad” in unprecedented times.

“This is nothing more than a desperate father trying to save his daughter,” Mr Schmidt said.

“It’s led to my client’s loss of his reputation, his loss of career.”

Eickenloff was suspended from the police service upon being charged but offered his resignation in March this year.

Eickenloff ultimately avoided a conviction, instead being ordered to complete 120 hours of community service.

The court was told he was an “upstanding” man with no criminal history, with a volume of friends and family attesting to his “exemplary character”.

“The events of September are otherwise a complete abrogation to his exceptional life,” Mr Schmidt said.

District Court judge John Allen said it was clear Eickenloff held “deep remorse” for his conduct.

He said Eickenloff committed a “gross breach of trust” as a police officer.

Members of the community would be outraged at the senior officer’s abuse of power for his family, the court was told.

“It was likely that had you not intervened... she (Maddison) may well have been prevented from crossing the border,” he said.

“Your abuse of your office permitted her to avoid those restrictions, which were designed to safeguard the Queensland community.

Judge Allen took into account Eickenloff’s undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder at the time of the act that had influenced his decision to take his daughter into the state.

Eickenloff received a 120-hour community service order with no conviction recorded.

Originally published as Disgraced Qld cop pleads guilty to illegally helping daughter cross border