A COVID-19 positive Newcastle man who’s accused of hosting numerous parties last month in defiance of NSW health orders will have to explain himself in court.
Police say the 22-year-old man hosted a number of large gatherings at a home at Shortland, on three separate nights from July 28 to 30.
Two women, aged 21 and 20, have previously been issued court attendance notices for attending the gatherings and remain before the courts.
All three people have since tested positive to COVID-19 and are now isolating, with the man due in Newcastle Local Court on September 28.
A further three people – two men aged 21 and 26, and a 20-year-old woman – were issued with $1000 Penalty Infringement Notices for attending the gatherings as police work on identifying other guests.
While all of NSW remains under strict lockdown a police blitz has seen a surge in fines with nearly 600 issued on Monday as operation Stay-At-Home got underway.
Deputy Police Commissioner Gary Worboys warned on Tuesday that ‘the time was over for warnings and cautions’, as almost 18,000 police begin issuing infringement notices to people flouting tough new health orders, armed with the power to fine individuals up to $5000.
On Monday a COVID-19 positive man from the hotspot of Fairfield in Sydney’s southwest wasn’t home when police came knocking.
“Not long after that person returned to the front of the house in a motor vehicle … he’d hopped in his car and went out for some fresh air and hadn’t been anywhere else,” Mr Worboys said.
Police visited more than 2300 houses on Monday while doing health order compliance checks.
“If you’re going to behave like this if you’re going to step outside the health orders you will be checked on,” Mr Worboys said.
While he was unaware of anyone yet to be fined $5000 for lying to contact tracers, he said the power to do so sent a very strong message.
“When you’re asked about this issue of where you’ve been and who you’ve spoken to … you need to come forward with the truth in the shortest possible time.”
 The 21-day blitz backed by 800 Australian Defence Force members comes as the state recorded 452 new locally acquired cases following a record-breaking day for numbers and fatalities.Â
Exercise in Greater Sydney is now restricted to five kilometres from home, while a permit is needed to travel into regional NSW and single people in local government areas of concern must register their “singles buddies”.
AAP
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