Churchgoers fined, driver tries to ram police at coronavirus roadblock southeast of Melbourne

Ten churchgoers in Melbourne’s west have been slapped with more than $16,000 in fines after being caught by police.

Ten churchgoers in Melbourne’s west have been slapped with more than $16,000 in fines after police caught them breaching coronavirus restrictions.

Worryingly, the highest number of fines for breaches of the Victorian chief health officer’s directions have been issued in the past 24 hours since stage three restrictions were reinstated on July 8.

Police handed out 152 fines on Sunday – taking the total since July 8 to 1690 – with 10 of those issued to parishioners after officers found them attending a church service in St Albans, which is banned under stage three restrictions.

Other fines were issued to people attending multiple gatherings and parties at short-stay rental accommodation in the CBD.

Of the 152 infringements on Sunday, 31 were dished out at vehicle checkpoints and 23 were given to people for failing to wear a face covering after leaving home for one of the four valid reasons.

It comes after it was revealed a motorist drove through a coronavirus checkpoint and tried to ram police in a frightening breach of restrictions southeast of Melbourne.

Victorian Police and Australian Defence Force members patrol Melbourne’s streets. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sarah Matray

Police were set up on the Bass Highway at Lang Lang when a car drove through the roadblock and attempted to hit members on Friday night.

A police spokeswoman confirmed the incident and said an investigation had been launched to try to identify the driver.

Police have set up nine vehicle checkpoints on major arterial roads on the outskirts of the city as well as mobile patrols to ensure that people in metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire are only leaving their homes for one of four valid reasons.

At least 336 of the 1538 fines handed out since July 8 have been issued at vehicle checkpoints.

It comes after police vowed to track down a conspiracy theorist who bragged about blatantly breaching one of Melbourne’s coronavirus roadblocks in a video she posted to social media and fine her if they found she was not allowed to be in the area.

Victorian Police and Australian Defence Force personnel inspect cars at a vehicle checkpoint on the Princes Highway at Little River near Geelong. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

In another incident on Saturday, a South Melbourne man was fined after he was stopped at a checkpoint in Wyndham where he told police he was on his way to Torquay for a surf.

Three people were also fined after a drink driver was caught in Thornbury on Monday morning.

Police stopped the red Holden Astra on Flinders St about 1.15am where the driver, a Deer Park man, 26, returned a positive preliminary breath test but refused to tell police his name.

He was taken to a nearby police station so police could confirm his identity where he allegedly blew .136. Police said he would be charged on summons with drink driving, unlicensed driving and providing false details.

The driver and his two passengers were all fined after they were found to be in breach of stage three coronavirus restrictions.

Anyone breaching the chief health officer’s directions risks a $1652 fine.

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