Warrant to arrest woman who failed to attend court for allegedly fleeing lockdown

Police at Auckland's Covid-19 southern boundary during lockdown in October of 2021. Photo / Dean Purcell

One half of the duo who allegedly fled Auckland's lengthy lockdown last year has failed to appear in court today.

The 31-year-old was due to appear at the Manukau District Court in front of Community Magistrate Fenella Thomas.

Police have issued a warrant for her arrest. Her name remains suppressed.

The duo were arrested by police in September 2021, after allegedly escaping Auckland's lockdown by using false documents and travelling to Taupō.

The pair were charged with intentionally failing to comply with the Covid-19 Public Health Response Act 2021, by leaving Auckland during a level 4 Covid-19 response and unlawfully crossing a checkpoint to enter a level 2 area.

In 2021, a police spokesperson confirmed that two people were staying in Taupō after making it through Auckland's southern border Covid checkpoints.

A man is due to appear in Manukau District Court on Friday after he was arrested the same day for breaching Auckland's lockdown rules.

As of December 2021, 78 people had been charged with a total of 82 offences related to lockdown breaches in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Of these, 65 were for failing to comply with order (Covid-19), 14 for failure to comply with direction/prohibition/restriction, one for failing to stop (Covid 19-related), and two for assaults/threatens/hinders/obstructs enforcement officer.