
Melbourne AFL fans jailed for illegal border crossing.
Two Melbourne men have been jailed for three months for creating fake documents so they could sneak across the WA border for the AFL Grand Final.
Hayden Burbank, 49 and Mark Babbage, 39, yesterday plead guilty to charges of gaining by fraud and three charges of breaching COVID laws in Perth Magistrates' Court.
Magistrate Matthew Holgate sentenced the men to 10 months' imprisonment but ordered that seven months be suspended. They have already spent more than a fortnight in prison, and will now spent Christmas behind bars and be released December 28.
Melbourne Demons fans jailed over trip to WA for AFL grand final https://t.co/O7817El8UK #perhtnews #wanews
— WAtoday (@WAtoday) October 13, 2021
The men entered WA via the Northern Territory, using a fake NT driver's licence and vechile registrations in their applications to enter, to hide the fact they'd been in Victoria.
The restaurant owner and financial planner attended the sold-out AFL grand final and then travelled to WA's south west winery region in the days after.
The Age reports Babbage's lawyer pushed for a suspended sentence, noting that his time behind bars already had a "salient effect" on him and he was "deeply remorseful."
He noted his clients' "excellent upbringing," and argued a conviction would have a significant impact on his career in finance.
Burbank's lawyer pointed out his clients' support of charitable causes like the 2019/20 bushfires, and the fact a conviction would have implications on his buinsess' liquor licence.
The magistrate said: "The exposure to 61,000 people says to me the sentence is too serious to be wholly suspended."