2 people who took part in unlawful gathering on pleasure craft fined $3,000 each
Posted on 02 March 2021 | 8,922 views | 5 comments
Shaffiq Alkhatib
The Straits Times
March 1, 2021 Two people who breached Covid-19 rules when they took part in an unlawful gathering on a pleasure craft on Dec 26 last year were each fined $3,000 on Monday (March 1). Briton Amy Grace Ropner, 28, and Singapore permanent resident Mark Lau San Mao, 30, were the first two people to be dealt with in court for being part of the event. They pleaded guilty to an offence under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said that it will shorten the validity of Lau's re-entry permit on his next renewal.
It added: "Singapore permanent residents who have been convicted of an offence will have their permanent residence status reviewed by the ICA."
The cases involving eight other Britons - Annabelle Morgan Duke, 26; Philip Edward Knatchbull Holmes, 27; Mark Alexander Bellamy, 29; Amy Georgina Hunt, 30; Thomas Cuthbert Williams-Jones, 30; Oliver Francis William Campbell, 31; Benjamin David Waters, 32; and Amy Alexandra Stewart, 32 - are still pending.
At that time of the incident, social gatherings were limited to five people.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Stephanie Koh said the pleasure craft named Advant was owned and operated by a company called Beyond Luxury. It could be chartered for excursions through a booking agent.
The court heard that Hunt contacted one such agent, Marine Bookings, last October to charter a yacht for 10 people on Boxing Day.
Around 11am on Dec 26 last year, Ropner, Lau and the eight other alleged offenders met the yacht’s two crew members at Sentosa’s Cove Avenue marina.
The DPP added: “Before departing, the master of the yacht gave the accused persons a pre-departure briefing.
“They were told to keep to two groups of five, one at the front and one at the back of the yacht, not to mix between groups, to wear a mask when not in the water or eating or drinking, and to comply with safe-management measures on board the yacht.”
The yacht was in waters off Lazarus Island when onlookers spotted the group.
Pictures and videos of the gathering were later posted on social media. They showed a group of merrymakers dancing and intermingling without masks.
The Straits Times
March 1, 2021 Two people who breached Covid-19 rules when they took part in an unlawful gathering on a pleasure craft on Dec 26 last year were each fined $3,000 on Monday (March 1). Briton Amy Grace Ropner, 28, and Singapore permanent resident Mark Lau San Mao, 30, were the first two people to be dealt with in court for being part of the event.
Pictures and videos posted on social media showed the group of merrymakers dancing and intermingling without masks on board a yacht near Lazarus Island, on Dec 26, 2020. PHOTOS: BU HUI YAN/FACEBOOOK
Source:
The Straits Times
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