Escaper bailed to be with family

A woman who scaled two fences to escape from a managed isolation facility appeared in court yesterday.

Suzanne Marie Derrett, 43, arrived from Brisbane on June 27 and returned a negative Covid-19 test three days later.

On Saturday, July 4 she allegedly absconded from the Pullman Hotel on foot shortly before 6.20pm.

She was located soon after a couple of blocks away at 8pm on Anzac Ave.

Derrett appeared before Judge Christopher Field in the Auckland District Court.

She is facing one charge of failing to comply with a Covid-19 order.

The court heard Derrett had finished her isolation period and been tested twice for Covid-19 with both tests returning negative results.

A medical report was presented to the court outlining mental health issues relating to Derrett.

She wanted to return to Dunedin with her brother, who had travelled to Auckland for the appearance.

Judge Field refused the media applications and remanded Derrett without plea for two weeks. She was granted bail to live at her brother’s house in Dunedin.

She will return to court on July 27 at 10am.

Judge Field allowed her to travel to Dunedin but said she must appear back in the Auckland District Court later this month.

Derrett avoided the waiting media as she left the court.