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Alleged grand final COVID breacher returns inconclusive coronavirus test: Chris Dawson

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Bethany HiattThe West Australian
Vaccine commander Chris Dawson.
Camera IconVaccine commander Chris Dawson. Credit: Matt Jelonek/The West Australian

One of two men who police allege sneaked into WA from Victoria to attend the AFL grand final has returned an inconclusive COVID test.

Vaccine commander Chris Dawson said Hayden Burbank and Mark Babbage, who were arrested in Bunker Bay in the Margaret River region this morning, would front court tomorrow morning charged with failing to comply with a direction.

The men allegedly flew in to Perth from Darwin on September 22 with falsified documents — including a Northern Territory driver’s licence.

“On the 27th of September, police received an anonymous tip off that these two males had allegedly been in Victoria in the preceding 14 days prior to arriving here, and they both attended the grand final,” Mr Dawson said.

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The men were arrested at Bunker Bay in the Margaret River region this morning, where they were accompanied by a woman.

All three were tested for COVID-19, with the woman and one of the men returning a negative test. The third test was inconclusive and the man would be tested again in the morning.

Mr Burbank, who is a well-known Demons fan, appeared in a Channel 7 news story last month painting the front of his Chapel Street venue in Melbourne’s colours of red and blue.

Mr Dawson said no instructions had been issued to anyone who was at the game to isolate or get tested.

“To say this is disappointing is an understatement,” he said.

“How people could knowingly put others at risk in these times is selfish and contemptible.”

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