'Arrogant and dangerous' man slammed for trying to sneak into Queensland THREE times in one day – even after copping a $4,000 fine
- Queenslander called 'arrogant and dangerous' for breaching border restrictions
- He travelled to NSW for a day trip not realising he could not re-enter Queensland
- He tried to cross the border three times before sneaking in on foot somewhere
- James Nech was arrested at his home and given 200 hours community service
- He was also fined $4,000 on his third attempt to cross the border on Thursday
An 'arrogant and dangerous' Queenslander has been sentenced to community service after he tried to sneak back into his home state from New South Wales three times in one day.
James Steven Nech, 28, from Indooroopilly in Brisbane, went on a single day trip to Snapper Rocks and then into New South Wales, on Thursday.
He was carrying a border pass, at the time which he falsely assumed would grant him access back into Queensland later in the afternoon.
This is despite border restrictions, imposed by Queensland's government, stating anyone entering from NSW has to spend 14 days in hotel quarantine.
But he was swiftly turned away at Currumbin Creek Connection Ramp, as officers explained he wasn't considered an essential worker and would need to fly across the border before quarantining for 14 days if he wanted to return home.
Motorists are stopped at a checkpoint at Coolangatta on the Queensland- New South Wales border earlier this month. Nech tried to cross this border unsuccessfully on Thursday
Instead, he drove himself to Coolangatta, where he was again turned away at the border, Courier Mail reported.
During his third attempt at Gold Coast Highway, Nech was fined $4,000 for repeatedly attempting to breach the border restrictions and sent on his way yet again.
Later on Thursday evening, police arrived at Nech's Indooroopilly home and found that he was present.
The suburb of Indooroopilly, as well as neighbouring areas, have been identified as potential COVID-19 hot spots and 'at risk' areas after a swathe of newly diagnosed cases visited the areas while infectious.
He confessed that he snuck over the border by foot, but would not reveal how he got from the Gold Coast to Brisbane - at least an hour's drive north.
Motorists are seen approaching a checkpoint at Coolangatta on the Queensland- New South Wales border earlier this month
Nech appeared in Brisbane Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, where he pleaded guilty to breaching a public health direction.
Police Prosecutor Sergeant Tara Williams suggested he be sentenced to 14 days imprisonment for the offence.
'I submit that he should receive a period of imprisonment and that should be akin to the quarantine period that he should have been required to undergo,' she said.
'Having regard to community expectations that a defendant who breaches those restrictions should not have the benefit of pleading guilty and receiving a lesser penalty than he should have done if he complied with those (restrictions).'
The magistrate argued actual imprisonment should be used as a last resort and instead sentenced Nech to 200 hours of community service - as well as entering the quarantine he skipped.
The Queenslander was told to fly across the border where he could be handled appropriately by staff and directed to hotel quarantine. Pictured: Travellers are temperature tested by health officials after arriving on a Qantas flight from Melbourne to Sydney on July 7
Ms Palaszcuk has been slammed for her tight border restrictions, with critics arguing they are destroying the economy (pictured, the border on August 7)
Magistrate Andrew Moloney described his conduct as 'arrogant and dangerous', adding that it 'put many members of the community at risk'.
'There was a way to come back to Queensland lawfully and you chose not to do it, putting potentially the community at risk and I take judicial notice that there has recently been community transmission where the source of that is not yet known,' he said.
St Williams said Nech believed he did not deserve to quarantine after spending just a few hours in New South Wales.
'He stated he did not and had returned because he did not think he should have to stay out of Queensland as he was a resident and had only been visiting the Tweed.
'When asked how he'd come over he stated he'd walked over the border and would not say how came to be back at his address.'
