Five Sydney men charged after allegedly assaulting police and resisting arrest

A group of friends allegedly throwing an illegal party in breach of Sydney’s lockdown weren’t happy when police informed them of the health orders.

A police officer has allegedly been assaulted during a Covid-19 compliance check in Sydney’s west.

Six men have been charged over allegedly breaching Covid health orders, including five who were also charged with resisting arrest and assaulting police officers.

“Police were assaulted in trying to enforce public health orders,” NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Mick Willing said.

“That is not on.”

The arrests came when police were called to reports of a party at a home on Unicombe Crescent, Oakhurst, about 4.10pm on Saturday.

When officers arrived they found a group of men drinking inside a garage, NSW Police said in a statement.

Police said they asked the men to produce identification, but they allegedly refused to do so.

“After informing the men of the possible Covid breach, the occupant – a man aged 44 – allegedly pushed an officer in the chest,” police said.

The other four men in the garage then allegedly became violent and attempted to hinder police, with police required to deploy pepper spray to subdue the men.

Police said the officers sustained minor injuries and all five men were arrested and taken to Mt Druitt police station.

After informing the men of the possible Covid breach, a man allegedly pushed an officer in the chest. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

The 44-year-old was charged with two counts of intimidate police officer, assault police officer, resist police officer, and not comply with Noticed Direction Covid-19.

A Mt Druitt man, 32, was charged with assault police officer, resist/hinder officer, and not comply with Noticed Direction Covid-19.

A Leonay man, 33, and Rooty Hill man, 38, and a Hassell Grove man, 30, were all charged with resist/hinder officer, and not comply with Noticed Direction Covid-19.

Four of the five men were granted conditional bail to appear in court later this month, while the 33-year-old was refused bail and will face court on Sunday.

In a separate incident, less than 20km away, another man in the Hawkesbury region was charged with possession of an unauthorised weapon while also breaching Covid health orders.

Officers confronted two men in Londonderry after they caught them riding quad bikes.

Police then discovered that both men lived in Blacktown – about 28km away – meaning they were allegedly in breach of the current Covid health orders in Sydney.

Police then searched a Toyota HiLux and allegedly found a black Glock-17 gel blaster air pistol inside a bag in the vehicle.

Police patrolled Parramatta road on Saturday, preparing to stop lockdown protesters going into the Sydney CBD. Picture: NCA NewsWire Flavio Brancaleone.

One of the men, 25, was arrested and taken to Windsor police station where he was charged with possess unauthorised pistol, possess unregistered firearm-pistol, and not comply with noticed direction regarding Covid-19.

The second man, a 22-year-old from South Granville, was issued a $1000 fine.

The 25-year-old was denied bail and will appear in Parramatta Local Court on Sunday.

According to NSW Police, 516 infringement notices have been issued and 38 people have been arrested for offences relating to breaches of the public health orders over the past 24 hours.

“We will not tolerate these (breaches),” Deputy Commissioner Willing said.

“Our compliance operation will be ramping up and it has ramped up. It will continue to do that.”

Sydneysiders residing in the Blacktown, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool and Parramatta LGAs are required to wear a mask whenever they leave the house and are not permitted to travel more than 5km from their home.

“I cannot stress enough how important it is for you to remain within your LGA,” Deputy Commissioner Willing said.