Covid 19 coronavirus: Dunedin woman sentenced for four lockdown breaches

A Dunedin woman who breached the Covid-19 lockdown four times in a week — including twice in one day — has been sentenced to community work.

Jade Margaret Cassidy pleaded guilty in the Dunedin District Court yesterday.

Judge Michael Crosbie said the only reason the country had had some success in fighting the spread of the virus was that most people abided by the alert level 4 restrictions. Those who did not presented a huge risk to the community, he said.

Cassidy was first spoken to by police on April 14 when they found her at a home that was not hers, the court heard.

Despite providing her with "education" about the lockdown, officers found her at a different address just five hours later.

Again, Cassidy could give no good reason for being outside her bubble.

Five days later, she was stopped by police in Alexandra and given a formal written warning.

Even that was not enough to keep her at home. She was finally arrested on April 21, 3km from her house.

"The authorities thought enough was enough," Judge Crosbie said.

Cassidy was sentenced to 40 hours' community work, the minimum such sentence.