- Ho Anh Dung swam to shore from a ship at Albany port, breaching health protocols.
- The magistrate said the 37-year-old’s behaviour was “unacceptable”.
- He was handed a six-month suspended sentence and faces deportation.
A recent news article published in the ABC News, written by Toby Hussey reveals that a Vietnamese man has received a suspended jail sentence after pleading guilty to breaching laws designed to protect the community from COVID-19 transmission.
Ho Anh Dung appears in Albany Magistrates Court
Ho Anh Dung, 37, appeared in Albany Magistrates Court for a second time on Thursday to be sentenced over his decision to swim to land from a bulk carrier ship docked in Albany port, on WA’s south coast, early Saturday morning.
Pleading guilty
Ho was an employee on the ship and had been onboard for several months.
Appearing in court via videolink from Albany Regional Prison, he pleaded guilty to failing to comply with COVID-19 laws intended to protect the community against transmission.
Arrested at backpackers
Ho was arrested at an Albany backpackers around 6.00pm on Saturday, about 12 hours after he left his ship.
He had arrived there that morning with a local man he met during the day who helped him check in.
After several hours of searching, police in heavy protective gear took him into custody.
He was subjected to a COVID-19 test which came back negative.
Ho was at the venue for much of the day before his arrest, with a manager saying his arrival at reception with an Albany businessman meant suspicions were not raised about his origins.
Some at the venue had attempted to assist him change his money from US dollars into local currency.
The court heard he managed to purchase a bus ticket to Perth during the day.
‘Unacceptable behaviour’
Magistrate Diane Scadden said a fine would “not be appropriate” for Ho’s crime, claiming that despite testing negative for COVID-19 a message needed to be sent that the behaviour was unacceptable.
Ms Scaddan said he had displayed a “flagrant disregard” for laws in place to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
“Community safety is paramount,” she said.
Ho receives a sentence of six months
Ho received a sentence of six months and one day for the offence, which has been suspended.
He will remain at the prison, where he has been since shortly after his arrest on Saturday evening, for another nine days before a likely transfer to a detention centre and eventual deportation.
The ship on which Ho arrived — Sakizaya Champion, a 57,000-tonne grain carrier — departed for South Africa on Tuesday.
To know more what the sailor had done click here
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Source : ABC News
