Spaniard who lied to Covid trackers in Australia amid outbreak now “helping police”

A Spaniard who lied to Covid trackers in Australia about a second job is now “helping police”.

Following an outbreak in Adelaide over a week ago, Australian authorities reported on Monday, November 23, a Spanish citizen living and working in the country lied to contact trackers and “hid information”.

The 36-year-old Spaniard, on a temporary visa in Australia and an employee of a hotel where the coronavirus outbreak was detected, failed to tell investigators he was also working at a pizza restaurant in the same city.

However, he is now said to be “collaborating with the police and “has been very helpful”.

“I am pleased to say, from what I have seen, that he has cooperated and has been very helpful. But this does not mean that the investigation is over because this person is in quarantine,” said South Australian Assistant State Commissioner Peter Harvey at a press conference in Adelaide.

Police reportedly confiscated all of the Spaniard’s electronic devices over the weekend.

His identity has not been revealed and health authorities are “providing him with psychological support while he is in quarantine”.

Harvey reported that a team of 36 South Australian State Police officers have also analysed 400 hours of security camera footage as part of this investigation, which also questioned two other people who allegedly lied.

The police chief said that at the moment there is no presumption of guilt, but that they are “analysing all the facts linked to this outbreak in Adelaide”, which forced the confinement of 1.7 million people in South Australia for three days.

However, Australian press reports the Spaniard will be charged and is likely to appear in court.


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Tara Rippin

Tara Rippin is a reporter for Spain’s largest English-speaking newspaper, Euro Weekly News, and is responsible for the Costa Blanca region.
She has been in journalism for more than 20 years, having worked for local newspapers in the Midlands, UK, before relocating to Spain in 1990.
Since arriving, the mother-of-one has made her home on the Costa Blanca, while spending 18 months at the EWN head office in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol.
She loves being part of a community that has a wonderful expat and Spanish mix, and strives to bring the latest and most relevant news to EWN’s loyal and valued readers.

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