Spent conviction for ‘out of-character’ COVID-19 breach

A Fitzroy Crossing woman has been fined more than $1200 in a Kununurra court after attending a party in Derby which breached pandemic restrictions. Gregoryanna Carlton pleaded guilty to disorderly behaviour in public, failure to comply with a request to give police personal details, and obstructing public officers. Police prosecutor Sgt Neil Berkely told the court Fitzroy Crossing police attended an address Carlton was staying at in April to break up a “gathering”, when only one visitor from outside the home was allowed in line with State Government COVID-19 restrictions. He said Carlton yelled at the officers “You are white yourself, check yourself. It f...... comes from overseas.” She was taken into custody in Kununurra on Sunday after a warrant for her arrest was issued for failing to appear in court. Her defence counsel, a Legal Aid WA duty lawyer, told the court Carlton was remorseful and said her behaviour had been “stupid” and that she was drunk at the time. She told the court the offending was out of character for Carlton, who had no prior criminal convictions. She said Carlton, a former receptionist, was in Kununurra for a funeral and wanted to move to Broome for a fresh start to escape family problems in Fitzroy Crossing. Magistrate Colin Roberts gave Carlton a $1000 global fine for all three charges, and ordered her to pay $225.90 in court costs. He also granted her a spent conviction order as it was her first criminal offence, which was not opposed by the prosecution.