THERE was drama bigger than Texas at Wangaratta courthouse on Thursday as a man from Dallas wreaked havoc with proceedings.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The main character was not from the home of 1980s television soap opera Dallas, but the northern Melbourne suburb of the same name that honours past Victorian governor Dallas Brooks.
However, it would have been far better if he stayed in Melbourne because his home suburb, postcode 3047, is one of those subject to a coronavirus lockdown.
Ignorance in some shape or form resulted in Halloum travelling more than 200 kilometres to Wangaratta.
Then it was not until after Halloum fronted court that it emerged he was from a quarantined suburb.
That then necessitated the court having to be shutdown and subjected to a thorough clean as well as a clerk and police prosecutor being sent home to isolate.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Halloum was apparently oblivious to all this, having left the court to go home.
Proceedings for the afternoon were terminated, inconveniencing those who may have travelled some distance or taken the day off work to front court.
Halloum, a migrant from Lebanon who moved to Australia in the 1990s, required his son to interpret his case in court.
The language barrier may have contributed to Halloum's actions yesterday, but it is not a satisfactory excuse.
Coronavirus has been with us for more than 100 days and if you live in one of those red alert suburbs you should know what's going on around you.
Given he was on essential business, Halloum could escape a fine for his decision to travel north.
That would be very lucky for him and no doubt leave coronavirus law-abiding North East and Border residents upset.
It also shows the Department of Justice needs to be alert in making sure there is up-to-date information about those on their database who come from hotspot suburbs and have court dates.