A man has been charged after an alleged confrontation with police at a border check point in Western Australia, while a woman has separately faced court for allegedly breaching the state’s quarantine laws.
Courtney James Lange, 44, was stopped at a vehicle check point on the Great Northern Hwy in Chittering about 5.30pm on Tuesday.
Police said Mr Lange was asked to show paperwork for a travel exemption, given the Perth and Peel regions are in a minimum four-day lockdown.
“It is alleged he began verbally abusing the police officer,” police said in a statement on Wednesday.
“It is further alleged the man exited his vehicle and approached officers, before being physically restrained and taken into custody.”
Mr Lange was charged with disorderly behaviour in a public place and obstructing public officers.
He faced Northbridge Magistrates Court on Wednesday and was granted bail to appear in Midland Magistrates Court on July 27. He is yet to enter a plea.
“Acts of this kind will not be tolerated and are totally unacceptable in our current state of emergency,” Operation Outbreak Commander Mike Bell said.
“This behaviour is not indicative of the wider community, who are doing the right thing and complying with directions.”
Separately, Stefany Renshaw, 28, has been charged with breaching bail.
Police said she had not appeared in court on February 25 after being charged with failing to comply with a direction, having been ordered to quarantine in January.
“Due to her failure to appear in court, a warrant was issued for her arrest,” police said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Just before 2pm yesterday, the woman was arrested on the warrant at Perth Airport after arriving on a flight from Melbourne.”
Ms Renshaw faced Northbridge Magistrates Court via audio link on Wednesday, but did not apply for bail or enter a plea.
She is due back in court on Thursday.
In a third incident, a 56-year-old woman has been charged with failing to comply with a direction after she allegedly refused to wear a face mask.
Police said the woman was found sitting on a bench on Barrack St in Perth’s CBD about 11.30am on Tuesday.
“Officers approached her, explained the face mask requirement to her and offered her a free face mask,” police said in a statement on Wednesday.
“It will be alleged the woman refused to wear the face mask. Another request was made before she was arrested, charged and refused bail.”
The Perth and Peel regions were plunged into a minimum four-day lockdown this week after a physiotherapist contracted Covid-19 at the Lyfe Cafe in Bondi, then unknowingly brought the virus home.
She spread it to another woman at a gym and a man at the Indian Ocean Brewing Company, who worked at the venue but was dining there at the time of contracting the virus.
On Wednesday, Premier Mark McGowan revealed a fourth case — a 37-year-old man who is also believed to have picked up the virus at the gym.
