Two women, aged 19 and 22, charged after ‘escaping hotel quarantine’ in WA

Two South Australian women have been taken into police custody in Perth after they allegedly escaped from hotel quarantine, having been refused entry into Western Australia in line with the state’s Covid-19 border restrictions.

The women, aged 19 and 22, flew into Perth from Adelaide on Monday night and had not made a prior application to enter WA, stating the sole purpose of their trip was to holiday and visit family. They were therefore refused entry and taken to a quarantine hotel on Murray Street.

“The two women were escorted by Police to a quarantine centre hotel in Murray Street, Perth, ” WA Acting Police Commissioner Gary Dreibergs told the press this afternoon. “Plans had already commenced by police to return the two women back to South Australia on the next available flight.”

However, police allege that at approximately 1.30am, the women breached security and caught a taxi to an address in Coolbellup. Police were called to the hotel and an investigation was launched, before the women were found at the residential unit before 9am on Tuesday morning.

The two women have been charged with fail to comply with a direction under the Emergency Management Act and are due to appear in magistrates court on Tuesday afternoon.

“I can advise that this breach is a very serious matter and that apprehending these two women was an absolute priority for the WA Police,” Dreibergs added. “Our officers did an outstanding job and apprehended the two women within hours of them leaving the hotel.

“Hotel quarantine has been established to assist members of our communities return to Western Australia. It’s been established to keep our communities safe.”

Dreibergs confirmed that the women had not been tested for Covid-19, however added that the state’s health department did not consider them to pose a significant health risk to people in the state.