Married couple who 'broke Sydney's lockdown by leaving a Covid hotspot to visit a Commonwealth Bank branch are arrested after husband 'refuses to sign in using a QR code'
- A southwest Sydney couple have been charged after travelling 44km to a bank
- Police were called to Ashfield mall on Tuesday to reports a man was abusing staff
- The man, 55, allegedly refused to use the QR code at bank employee's request
- Police arrested the man, and his wife, 63, who allegedly tried to hinder his arrest
- The couple were both charged with several offences to face court in October
A couple have been charged with a string of offences after allegedly breaching Sydney's lockdown by travelling 44km from a Covid hotspot to a bank.
Residents in eight local government areas of concern in Sydney's coronavirus-hit southwest and west are under tighter restrictions than the rest of the locked-down city, as authorities struggle to contain the highly infectious Delta outbreak.
Those who live in the Canterbury-Bankstown, Fairfield, Liverpool, Blacktown, Cumberland, Parramatta, Campbelltown, and Georges River councils can only travel within a 5km radius from home and must wear a mask in public spaces at all times.
But an older couple have been arrested after allegedly venturing out of the Campbelltown LGA to visit a Commonwealth Bank branch in the city's inner-west.
Police will allege the 55-year-old man (pictured) refused to sign in using a QR code, abused bank staff, and resisted arrest
Police were called to Ashfield Mall about 3.30pm on Tuesday to reports staff inside the bank branch were being abused.
Staff told police the man allegedly entered the premises without scanning the QR code, and became abusive after an employee asked him to sign in.
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A 46-year-old male security officer intervened and was then allegedly pushed by the man and threatened.
Police arrived to find the 55-year-old man still at the scene. He allegedly became abusive towards officers as they approached him.
He then allegedly tried to resist arrest, with his 63-year-old partner stepping in to try and intervene. She was also arrested.
The man's 63-year-old wife was also arrested after allegedly trying to hinder his arrest
The pair were taken to Burwood Police Station, where police determined the man and woman were husband and wife who live at an Eagle Vale address.
Both were each charged with resist or hinder police officer in execution of duty and not comply with noticed direction re s 7/8/9 – COVID-19.
The man was also charged with common assault.
They have been granted conditional bail to appear at Burwood Local Court on Tuesday 5 October 2021.
It comes as NSW recorded 233 new locally-acquired Covid cases on Wednesday, with 47 people in the community throughout their infectious period.
Overnight, more than 170 new venues were added to the NSW Health exposure site list - the highest number of daily additions since the outbreak began in June.
