A New South Wales man has pleaded guilty to breaching South Australia’s medi-hotel system, after escaping from hotel quarantine last week.
Key points:
- Paul McElhinney, 33, escaped from the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Adelaide on Thursday
- He has now returned seven negative COVID-19 tests and completed his 14 days of quarantine
- The court today heard McEhinney had returned to Australia after burying his father in Scotland
Paul McElhinney, 33, faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court this afternoon.
He returned to Australia on a repatriation flight on August 3, after burying his father in Scotland.
The court today heard he was drunk when he escaped from the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Adelaide’s CBD late on Thursday, August 12, before going to the Duke of York Hotel and McDonald’s.
SA Police said McElhinney had left his medi-hotel room just after 10:00pm and used a fire escape to get to the basement car park, where he was questioned by police.
He was allowed to leave when he allegedly provided “false information”, telling the officers he had lost his way after leaving a nearby pub.
The breach was only identified when McElhinney returned to the medi-hotel at 6:00am on Friday morning.
He completed his 14 days of quarantine yesterday and was arrested and charged with breaching SA’s Emergency Management Act this morning.
His lawyer told the court McElhinney had undergone seven negative COVID-19 tests and was still suffering stress and grief from his father’s death.
McElhinney apologised for the breach and said he just wanted to go home and see his family after eight weeks away.
“I just want to get back to my kids and missus.”
The prosecutor said a term of imprisonment would be appropriate, given the seriousness of the offence.
Magistrate John Fahey remanded McElhinney until Wednesday, August 25, when he will be sentenced.