Police Fine Two Nude Sydney Sunbathers For Breaching COVID-19 Restrictions
The NSW Police have fined two men for breaching Sydney’s COVID-19 lockdown rules, after a deer interrupted their nude sunbathing on the beach, leading them to run into the bush, getting lost and then having to be rescued.
Police said a helicopter had to be sent to rescue the nude sunbathers at Royal National Park at Otford. The two men had called emergency services around 6 pm after getting lost on the remote beach. The beach is located around 40 kilometres south of Sydney, and is close to Werrong Beach – a nudist beach that has a gay section, accessible via a 30-minute walk through the bush.
The police, assisted by the State Emergency Service, NSW Ambulance and Polair, found a 30-year-old man naked and carrying a backpack on the walking track near Lady Wakehurst Drive. Later, a 49-year-old man, who according to the police was “partially clothed” was located.
They told the police that they were at a nearby beach, when they were startled by the deer and ran into bushland.
The police said both men were fined $1,000 each and were among the 44 people issued with fines on Sunday for breaching public health orders.
The whole of Greater Sydney is currently under a lockdown till July 9, as the public health team races to manage a COVID-19 outbreak. There are only four reasons to leave your home if you live in Greater Sydney – shopping for food and essential goods, medical care (including for getting vaccinated) or compassionate needs, exercise outdoors and essential work or education if you cannot do it at home.
The public health order prohibits those from Greater Sydney travelling outside the region.
‘Difficult to legislate against idiots’
On Monday morning at a press conference, NSW police commissioner, Mick Fuller said that “it’s difficult to legislate against idiots.”
“Unbelievably we saw two men, sunbathing naked on a beach in the south coast. They were startled by a deer and ran into the national park. Not only did they require assistance from SES and police to rescue them, but they also both received a ticket for $1,000.”
Fuller added that those who breach the public health restrictions will be fined.
“Clearly putting people at risk by leaving home without a proper reason, and I think then on top of that, getting lost in the national park and diverting important resources away from the health operation, I think they should be embarrassed,” the commissioner said.
“But, again, they both received a $1,000 fine. Now, it’s only a small percentage of the New South Wales people that are not following the health guidelines, but I can assure you, if you breach the health orders or the guidelines, you will be punished.”
Social media soon declared the incident as the “story of the Sydney 2021 lockdown.”
🦌🍆🍑 TFW you and your mate sunbake naked on a beach, get startled by a deer, run into a national park and get lost, require SES and police assistance, and then get fined $1000 each because you breached Sydney's COVID public health orders pic.twitter.com/U9q0ZD6oVM
— Ben Grubb 🐛 (@bengrubb) June 28, 2021
Let those among us who have NOT been startled by a deer while sunbaking naked and then run into a forest before getting lost requiring police to render assistance cast the first stone. #covid19nsw
— Adam Liaw (@adamliaw) June 28, 2021
The Auslan interpreter’s signing too was noticed.
next level signing
1. while sunbathing naked
2. startled by
3. a deer pic.twitter.com/xO0QqJ15sQ— 💯 points of 🆔 (@ernmalleyscat) June 28, 2021
Meanwhile, the police have appealed to the community that “anyone who has information regarding individuals or businesses in contravention of a COVID-19-related ministerial direction” can contact Crime Stoppers.
