A Queensland woman who breached hotel quarantine in Broome and spent several days in the community has been released from custody and fined $2,500.
The Broome Magistrates Court was told Shannai Reid checked out of the Roebuck Hotel on August 19 – two days after she arrived – and spent several days in the community, including at popular tourist spot Gantheaume Point, before she was arrested at Broome airport on August 24.
The court heard she yelled, screamed and refused to cooperate with police.
On Monday, the 22-year-old pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a direction but insisted she did what she "thought was right" by waiting until her first COVID-19 test came back negative and then leaving the hotel.
Representing herself, she told the court she had no symptoms and had not visited any hotspots in Queensland.
Reid said she had planned to head back home to the Daintree and take her second coronavirus test on a layover in Darwin and the third when she arrived back in Queensland.
She insisted she was acting within her rights.
"I want to be home with my community and my family," she said.
Police prosecutors argued Reid had "complete disregard" for the law and that it was lucky she tested negative.
'Didn't just jump the fence'
In sentencing, Magistrate Stephen Sharratt said the woman had made a mistake, but an unreasonable one.
"I accept that she didn't just jump the fence and say, 'I've had enough of this,'' he said
Magistrate Sharratt said it was wrong of Reid to think the law did not apply to her and said she could have been asymptomatic.
But he rejected the prosecution's application to keep Reid locked up until she paid the $2,500 fine.
"I'll just fine her and let her go," Magistrate Sharratt said.
