The Perth woman who received the harshest penalty imposed yet in Western Australia for breaching COVID-19 quarantine laws is preparing an appeal against her six-month jail term, along with an application to be released from custody immediately.
Asher Vander Sanden on Tuesday admitted sneaking across WA's hard border earlier this month by hiding in a car that was being transported on a truck.
She had been given permission to fly to WA from Victoria, where she had spent a month looking after her sister, but was told she would have to quarantine for 14 days in a hotel at her own expense.
Instead, she asked a truck driver at a roadhouse in Mildura, in regional Victoria, to give her a lift to Perth, which he did, taking her to a petrol station in Midland where she called her partner to pick her up.
Police did try to locate her, but she did not tell them where she was until they tracked her down about 10 days later at a unit in Scarborough.
Magistrate says offence 'very serious'
Vander Sanden's lawyer, John Hammond, told the Perth Magistrates Court she had self-isolated when she was at the unit with her partner and had not had any contact with any other members of the community.
He also acknowledged Vander Sanden did have a criminal record, saying that was related to "a meth habit", although she no longer used the drug.
However Magistrate Andrew Matthews imposed a six-month jail term, describing the offence as "very serious" and saying Vander Sanden had undermined what WA had done to prevent community spread of "this hideous virus".
Magistrate Matthews also said the offence was serious because Vander Sanden had travelled from Victoria, which he described as a "hotspot" for COVID-19.
Lawyer says seeking 'immediate' release
Vander Sanden was made eligible for parole, meaning she would have to serve three months in jail before she could be released.
The sentence is believed to be the harshest imposed in WA so far for COVID-19 quarantine breaches, which carry a maximum jail term of 12 months.
At least three other people have been jailed — receiving sentences of six months — but the terms were partially suspended, meaning they had to spend only about a month behind bars.
On Wednesday, Mr Hammond confirmed appeal papers were being prepared and an application would be made for Vander Sanden to be released from custody immediately.
