‘We were freaking out … we grabbed our phones and started recording’: Quarantined comedian shares experience of watching woman escape Howard Springs
A VICTORIAN woman who brazenly scaled a fence to escape quarantine at Howard Springs is now under police guard back at the facility. WATCH THE VIDEOS HERE
Northern Territory
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A VICTORIAN woman who tried to escape quarantine at Howard Springs by climbing over a fence is back at the facility and under police guard – and facing a whopping $5000 fine for her brazen antics.
The woman, 33, had travelled from a hot spot earlier this week.
On Tuesday, residents and security officers notified police after she scaled a fence and walked off into the bush with her luggage.
Comedian Evan Desmarais posted a clip of the escape to TikTok.
He told the NT News that watching it happen had been a “wild” experience.
“She was walking down the sidewalk in front of us and she wasn’t wearing a mask,” he said.
“As a friendly Canadian, I said she should probably put on her mask because I didn’t want her to get fined, and she just ignored me.
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“The neighbour to my left and I were laughing how she was rude to me, then she’s throwing her bag over the fence and scaling it.
“We were freaking out … we grabbed our phones and started recording.”
The woman was found by police within 15 minutes and returned to Howard Springs.
Mr Desmarais said he and other residents were stunned by the woman’s escape.
“I almost feel privileged to be here and to see somebody take such a good situation and pull the finger on it, it was kind of jarring,” he said.
“This is the nicest of all the potential places you could be locked up … she just jumped the fence and started walking.
“I don’t know what she was hoping for.”
Mr Desmarais said the woman had complied with police once found, and understood she had been moved to a separate area and placed under guard by police.
Australian Medical Association NT branch president Rob Parker said people needed to take quarantine seriously, given the severity of COVID-19 and the Territory’s vulnerable population.
“Unfortunately, people don’t appreciate the need to quarantine and protect the community,” he said.
“They should maybe use more coercive measures to make her appreciate her responsibility.”
Acting Chief Minister Nicole Manison said the woman would be fined $5000 for her actions. However, Ms Manison was not concerned for the security at Howard Springs.
“This is a very rare event,” she said.
“We’re still going to be investigating it just to make sure that we’re really confident with all the elements of security there.
“There is absolutely no excuse for leaving the quarantine facility.
“My message to anybody who is not going to comply with the rules of the Northern Territory is very clear: do not come here – and if you do not comply while you are here, you’re going to face a hefty fine.”
Ms Manison praised the efforts of people in quarantine for reporting the woman.
“I’m very thankful that they called authorities very quickly,” she said.
“Clearly they were not impressed with the behaviour, because they’re in there doing the right thing and they understand how serious COVID-19 is.”
Deputy Opposition Leader Gerard Maley said he feared the incident could show others how easy it was to escape the facility.
“This was not a cleverly planned, covert escape under the cover of darkness,” he said.
“The woman simply hopped the fence in broad daylight and strolled out.
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“Given previous incidents at Howard Springs and the importance that facility plays in repatriating Australians from abroad, as well as interstate arrivals, security should be paramount.
“At the very least, a person should not simply be able to ‘walk away’ from the facility undetected.
“We have diverted significant resources, including police resources, to secure the facility, but the processes that the government have put in place are clearly not working.”
In December, a woman in Perth faced a fine of up to $50,000 or 12 months in prison after she fled the Pan Pacific hotel, seven days into her 14-day quarantine period.
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