Foul-mouthed quarantine runner fined for ‘going to have a smoke, see girlfriend’

A MAN called police officers “motherf..kers” and said he didn’t give a f..k when he breached COVID-19 health directives by leaving his mandatory hotel quarantine on the Gold Coast.

Seyfu Belete, 28, was fined $3000 after pleading guilty in Southport Magistrates Court on Thursday to failing to comply with coronavirus pandemic direction.

Police said Belete, from Labrador, was arrested at the Queensland state border block on Tuesday for unrelated matters.

Police discovered he had been in a NSW hotspot so once he was bailed for the unrelated matters, he was taken to the QT Hotel at Surfers Paradise for 14 days of mandatory quarantine.

On Wednesday afternoon, Belete exited the hotel via the fire stairs but was stopped by security.

He was escorted back to his room and was told to remain there.

Police said Belete again left and was repeatedly told by police to stay in his room.

He became abusive, calling the police officers “motherf..kers”, saying he “didn’t give a f..k” and he was going to have a “smoke and see his girlfriend”.

Magistrate Kerry Magee fined the Labrador man $3000, which was referred to SPER. No conviction was recorded.

Outside court, Gold Coast Police Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said: “It’s always disappointing when police and our partner agencies are subject to any abuse at all. Police are only there to make sure the community remains safe and they certainly don’t deserve that kind of behaviour.

“It’s vitally important people follow the Chief Health Officer’s directions, in particular in relation to being quarantined. People coming from hotspots are required to go into quarantine and this is to ensure COVID-19 doesn’t spread in Queensland.

“Instances like these show the level of vigilance that our police and partner agencies at quarantine hotels are exercising, and we will continue to prosecute.”

Belete was remanded in custody.