A Queensland couple who fled self-quarantine in Perth before being arrested more than 800 kilometres away have pleaded guilty to public health breaches and been fined $4,000 each.
Michael Balmforth and Rachael Marie Johnston, both aged 48, faced the Kalgoorlie Magistrate's Court via video link from prison on Tuesday charged with two counts of failing to comply with a direction and failing to present for a COVID-19 test.
The pair both received approved G2G passes last month and flew from Queensland to Perth, where they were ordered to self-quarantine for 14 days.
But when police conducted a routine quarantine check two days later, the pair were not there.
After only booking Airbnb accommodation for only one night, the couple travelled around Perth to Elizabeth Quay and the airport before catching a flight to Esperance to pick up Johnston's car.
After arriving in the south coast town of Esperance the pair drove to Laverton and then Leinster, where they were eventually found by police.
'A nurse … of all people'
Magistrate Genevieve Cleary said travelling to the remote areas put vulnerable Indigenous and elderly communities at serious risk.
Police prosecutor Tony Di Giuseppe told the court Balmforth was aware of WA's COVID-19 testing requirements, but ignored the rule because "he didn't believe he had COVID".
The court heard Johnston was a former nurse, who had a potential job offer in Queensland fall through as a result of her incarceration.
Magistrate Cleary said Johnston's status as a healthcare worker meant she should have known better.
"As a nurse, you of all people should've been aware of the reason why states have hard borders and need people to stay where they are," she said.
Defence lawyer Pamela Oram, who represented both offenders, said Balmforth did not realise how "serious the rules were" in WA and would not have breached quarantine if he knew the consequences of his actions.
Ms Oram said both of her clients were remorseful for their actions.
Magistrate Cleary granted both offenders a spent conviction and ordered them to pay $4,000 each in fines.
Balmforth and Johnston have been released from prison after serving their isolation period behind bars in the Goldfields.
