Holbrook man says fellow tradies don't wear masks, no COVID-19 at time in hometown

Alex Daniel Doughty told Albury Local Court magistrate Richard Funston this week that the $500 penalty was "a bit steep".

He had been pulled over by police in central Albury on August 16.

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The 24-year-old, who represented himself in court, said he had been instructed by his boss that day to use a work utility to collect a colleague.

Doughty said none of his workmates wore masks on site and he did not know about any requirement to do so in a work vehicle.

Mr Funston, in finding the charge proved then dismissed, told Doughty the court acknowledged he had "taken the matter seriously".

Doughty had been fined for the offence of failing to comply with face-covering directive.

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The court was told, in details set-out by the officer who issued the fine, that Doughty's ute was stopped in Guinea Street.

Doughty told police that he and his passenger were not aware this was against the law at the time.

He made the application for a review of the fine partly on this basis.

"As someone who lives in a small regional town, 63 kilometres from Albury, there has been no recorded cases," Doughty submitted.

"I had obviously no idea that a face mask is required inside the vehicle whilst there is another person in the same vehicle."

Further, Doughty said the NSW Highway Patrol officer who pulled him over was not aware "that I was drinking a takeaway cup of coffee" at the time, which he believed would have precluded him anyway from the directive.

"Times are tough and I have been penalised the majority of my weekly wage over an order I was unaware of," he said.

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