Drink-driving, assault, alcohol-free zones and the ongoing risk of COVID-19 all appear in local police news for the start of the holiday period.
Tweed Byron Police are reminding locals and visitors to have a Plan B if they’re planning to drink and travel in the Northern Rivers.
Police will be out in force over the holiday period and stationery and mobile random breath testing will be conducted right across the district.
Drink driving
About 3am on Saturday 19th December 2020, police stopped a silver Holden hatch on Woodford Lane, Ewingsdale for a random breath test. A 23-year-old female driver from Eungella provided a breath test which was positive to alcohol.
The female was arrested and taken to Byron Bay Police Station for a breath analysis.
The driver was subject to a breath analysis which returned a reading of 0.207 grams of alcohol in 210 litres of breath. Her driver’s license was confiscated and suspended.
She was issued a Court Attendance for High Range Drink Driving and will appear before Byron Bay Local Court on the 25 January 2021.
About 12am on Sunday 20th December 2020, police stopped a grey Mazda sedan on Shirley St, Byron Bay for a random breath test. A 25-year-old female driver from South Golden Beach provided a breath test which was positive to alcohol.
The female was arrested and taken to Byron Bay Police Station for a breath analysis. The driver was subject to a breath analysis which returned a reading of 0.095 grams of alcohol in 210 litres of breath. Her driver’s license was confiscated and suspended.
She was issued a Court Attendance for Mid-Range Drink Driving and will appear before Byron Bay Local court on the 25 January 2021.
About 1.00am on Sunday 20th December 2020, police were called to a single vehicle crash on Paterson St, Byron Bay. A 54-year-old male driver from Byron Bay provided a breath test which was positive to alcohol.
The male was arrested and taken to Byron Bay Police Station for a breath analysis. The driver was subject to a breath analysis which returned a reading of 0.203 grams of alcohol in 210 litres of breath. His driver’s license was confiscated and suspended.
He was issued a Court Attendance for High Range Drink Driving and will appear before Byron Bay Local court on the 25 January 2021.
Serious assault at Chinderah
On the evening of Friday 18th December 2020, Tweed Heads Police were alerted to a 34-year-old male who had been taken to Tweed Heads Hospital with wounds to his hand and leg. It was later established that the male had been struck with a machete or similar and sustained non-life-threatening wounds.
Police established a crime scene at a home on Anne Street Chinderah. It’s believed this was a targeted assault with the alleged offenders known to the victim. Police later stopped a Toyota van at Ewingsdale, near Byron Bay. Three males were detained whilst two others ran away on foot.
A weapon was recovered, and the vehicle seized.
Investigations continue and police are asking anyone who witnessed the assault or has dashcam footage of the incident at 11.15pm on Friday 18 December 2020 to contact Tweed Heads Police or Crimestoppers.
Enforcement of alcohol-free zones
Police from the Tweed Byron Police District are expecting a busy holiday period and have planning in place for New Years Eve and Australia Day events.
While it will not be a typical New Years Eve or Australia Day due to the continued COVID restrictions. Police will still be out in force and are encouraging people across the district to stay COVID safe and not go out if feeling unwell.
Please get tested if you have any symptoms (there is a drop-in testing station behind Byron Hospital – just bring your Medicare card).
The police wish to remind people that most of our parks, CBDs and beach foreshores in both the Tweed and Byron shires are alcohol-free zones. This means that you can’t consume alcohol in these locations. People who do so risk the seizure or disposal of the alcohol, and possible fines.
The message from police is: don’t bring alcohol into these locations. If you are unsure, check the signage or council web pages.
COVID-19 restrictions
In the lead up to New Years Eve, police are reminding everyone of the present ‘Health Minister’s COVID-19 Restrictions on Movements & Gatherings, Public Health Act 2010′.
This is particularly important for those planning large parties for NYE. Fines (up to $11,000) and/or 6 months imprisonment apply to occupants and guests.
Rules for gatherings at residences:
- Up to 50 visitors. This number does not include residents or workers, e.g. tradespeople, visiting nurses.
- Also applies to holiday homes and short-term rentals but not for property inspections or auctions.
- It is an offence for an adult member of the household to allow more than 50 people at the residence and for a person to participate in such a gathering.
Gatherings in outdoor public places:
- A person must not participate in an outdoor public gathering of more than 100 persons.
This will not apply to:
- a person who is engaged in work
- a person who is providing care or assistance to vulnerable persons
- and certain activities (conditions apply, please check the latest rules):
- a community sporting activity.
- an outdoor rehearsal or performance.
- a controlled outdoor public gathering.
- an agricultural show or field day.
- an outdoor protest.
- a wedding or funeral, or gathering following one of these events.
