Covid NT: Six people fined after breaching lockdown rules

Police revealed on Saturday morning they had handed out further infringements to Katherine residents who allegedly had left their residences without a valid reason.

UPDATED: POLICE handed out a further 10 infringements in Katherine on Friday night, after Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker warned authorities would come down hard on “frequent flyers”.

It follows six people being fined more than $5000 each on Friday for breaching lockdown.

A statement by NT Police on Saturday morning said a further 10 infringements had been handed out.

Police alleged the individuals did not have reason to leave their residences and “were mostly not wearing masks”.

EARLIER: SIX people have been fined more than $5000 each for breaching lockdown in the Katherine area.

More than half of the cases were due to intoxicated people causing disturbances at other people’s houses, Northern Territory Police said.

The other breaches were people leaving their house without a valid reason or failing to wear a mask.

“In another case, police spicked up a man who was just driving around aimlessly ‘to look at the scenery’.

“The sixth infringement was issued to someone who left his residence to visit relatives – he was located sitting in the CBD area without a mask,” Superintendent Peter Dash said.

He said most of the residents in locked down areas were doing the right thing, but a small few were ruining it for the rest of them.

“So far, police have taken an educational approach to compliance, and for the most part the residents of the region have been fantastic.

However, there are some elements of the community who continue to behave in a disgraceful manner and with no regard to their personal safety nor that of their family and fellow community members,” he said.

Each of the offenders receive a $5024 fine for “contravening an emergency declaration.”

Lockdown is set to continue until 6pm on Monday in Katherine and Robinson River.