EIGHT people have each received a $1000 fine after they flouted the state's Public Health Act to curb the spread of coronavirus.
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The penalty infringement notices (PIN) were handed out during five separate incidents across the Central West during the Easter long weekend after the accused were unable to provide police with a 'reasonable excuse' for being outside their home.
In Dubbo on Saturday, a 25-year-old man was stopped on Tink Avenue at 2.40am and searched by police.
The man was allegedly found to be in possession of a knife, housebreaking implements and suspected stolen items.
He could also not provide police with a reasonable excuse for breaching the current ministerial directions and was issued a $1000 PIN.
The man was also charged with goods in personal custody suspected being stolen, possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit, possess housebreaking implements, and custody of knife in public place.
He was refused bail to appear at Dubbo Local Court on Tuesday.
In a separate incident in Nyngan just before 8pm on Friday, police stopped a Holden Rodeo utility on the Nyngan-Mundaroo Road for a random breath test which returned a negative result.
Upon speaking with the driver and two occupants - aged 52, 23 and 13 - police established their reason for travel was considered non-essential and issued them with a warning to return to their home address in Griffith.
Then at 2.10pm on Saturday, the same vehicle was located at a truck stop on Mitchell Highway at North Bourke.
The same three males were with the vehicle and had set up a swag on the side of the road. As the trio ignored ministerial directions, the two adults were each issued with a $1000 fine.
Meanwhile in Walgett, police observed six people gathered at Ritchie Street at 3.30am on Friday.
The group was warned about the Public Health Act and were told to return home immediately.
Half an hour later, three members of the group - a woman, 32, and two men, aged 32 and 37 - were seen by police again drinking in the street.
All three were issued $1000 PINs.