Charges pressed over border crossing blow out

The damage to the gates was discovered the next day by a border patrol crew.

By Dominique Tassell

A man has been charged with wilful damage and failing to comply with a Covid-19 Public Health Direction, after allegedly driving a prime mover through a border blockade.

The incident happened at the Covid-19 border blockade on Keetah Bridge on September 15, causing damage to the fencing.

The 26-year-old man was previously turned around at the Goondiwindi border check point for failing to have evidence of a negative Covid-19 test.

He then allegedly drove his vehicle through the unmanned hard border at Keetah Crossing just before midnight.

The damage to the gates was discovered the next day by a border patrol crew.

After police obtained CCTV, they identified the vehicle and subsequently located the 26-year-old man in Texas around 5pm on September 16.

He is due to appear in Inglewood Magistrates Court on November 18, and has been ordered to return to New South Wales.

The crossing has since been secured with hard concrete blocks and police will continue to conduct border patrols of all roads and closures.