Man charged with breaching mandatory quarantine and spraying members of the public released from custody

UPDATED: A man has faced court to enter pleas on a range of charges relating to alleged breaches of a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

A LAUNCESTON man accused of repeated breaches of a Government enforced travel quarantine has been released from custody after pleading not guilty to a range of charges, including endangering the public.

Richard Tohina Pollock, 50, appeared in the Launceston Magistrates Court on Thursday in handcuffs with his jumper pulled up over his face.

The mandatory 14-day isolation period he was subject to because of recent travel expired at midnight on Wednesday, but Mr Pollock has been in police custody since Monday.

Mr Pollock flew home to Launceston from Western Australia via Victoria on March 25 after the State Government introduced new laws requiring anyone arriving in the state to be transported to a Government-run facility to be quarantined for 14 days.

Police alleged Mr Pollock failed to comply with the directions of an emergency management worker – Police Commissioner Darren Hine – on five occasions.

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Tasmania Police officers patrol Launceston’s CBD streets enforcing social distancing restrictions. Picture: PATRICK GEE

It was alleged Mr Pollock left the hotel he was being kept in and was found by police trying to force open the door of a Launceston business on the morning of March 29.

The same day it was reported Mr Pollock was in a public park spraying members of the public with a spray bottle.

He allegedly attended a coffee shop on April 4 and the forecourt of Morty’s Food Hall on April 5.

It was also alleged Mr Pollock was found absent from his hotel room at 8.10am on April 5.

Mr Pollock was charged with two counts of recklessly throwing a missile to the danger of another person on April 6 by allegedly throwing a bottle and a can from the hotel balcony.

He was charged with three counts of contravening the conditions of a notice after being charged over his failures to comply, by leaving his hotel room a further three times.

According to court documents, one of those times was on Wednesday, despite Mr Pollock being refused bail in his court appearance on Tuesday.

Defence lawyer April Van der Meer entered not guilty pleas to all charges.

Magistrate Simon Brown adjourned the matters for mention to May 6, when Mr Pollock has other matters listed for hearing.

The case will be set down for hearing later in the year.

Mr Pollock was granted bail.