Woman escapes Marriott Hotel quarantine in Sydney, fined $1000: police
A 63-year-old Queensland woman has been issued with a $1000 fine and been returned to hotel quarantine after she allegedly attempted to abscond from Sydney's Marriott Hotel on Wednesday.
"About 7am yesterday, police received a report of a woman who had absconded from a hotel at Circular Quay while undertaking her mandatory 14-day quarantine period," NSW Police said in a statement released to the Herald.
NSW Police overseeing hotel quarantine at the Marriott in April.Credit:Louise Kennerley
The Australian citizen, who returned from an international trip on a flight to Sydney but lives in Queensland, is believed to have told hotel staff and security her job as a flight attendant meant she needed to leave the hotel and catch a plane, someone familiar with the alleged escape said.
ISEC, the security company charged with guarding the hotel and enforcing the quarantine, refused to answer questions about how the woman was allowed to escape.
Poor hotel security was blamed for the escalating coronavirus crisis in Victoria.
In refusing to comment, the company said it "did not deal with the media" and would not comment on allegations that the woman convinced a security guard of her need to leave quarantine just five days into the 14-day period.
"Officers were told the 63-year-old woman had told security and hotel staff she had an exemption from NSW Health to travel and, while they were attempting to verify her claims, she left the hotel to travel to Sydney Airport to board an international flight," police said.
Australian Border Force detained the woman at Sydney Airport, from where she was taken back to the hotel.
She began her mandatory 14-day quarantine period on July 3. The quarantine period will not begin anew.
"She has subsequently been issued with a $1000 fine for failing to comply with a ministerial direction," police said.
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