6 more people from illegal Lazarus Island gathering fined $3,000 each

Another six people from the illegal gathering on Lazarus Island were fined $3,000 each yesterday.

British nationals William Edwin Dunford, 32, Richard Henri Lagesse, 31, Lowri Mair Jeffs, 31, Zoe Louise Cronk, 30, Jeff Richard Alexander, 32, and Singaporean Natalie Joanna Sarkies, 29, each pleaded guilty to a charge of breaching Covid-19 regulations.

The regulations prohibit social gatherings of more than five who do not stay in the same residence.

The group of 12 took a ferry to St John's Island at around 11am on Aug 8 before walking to the beach at Lazarus Island.

There, they engaged in various activities before taking a ferry back to the mainland at about 6pm.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Timotheus Koh said Sarkies posted photos of the trip on social media, featuring the 12 of them.

The photos were reported on several platforms, attracting public attention and causing public alarm.

A Manpower Ministry spokesman said the five foreigners convicted yesterday have been permanently banned from working in Singapore, and their former employers have cancelled their work passes.

Another member of the group, Briton Paul Jonathan Gold, 32, was fined $3,000 on Oct 14.

Five others from the group have yet to be dealt with.

Britons Helen Ann Sullivan, 30, Joshua Adam Roth, 31, James Riby Oram Trimming, 31, and Edward John Joseph Lee-Bull, 32, are expected to be back in court on Dec 4. Vietnamese Luong Thi Thu Ha, 31, is expected to be back in court on Dec 11.

If convicted under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act, first-time offenders can be jailed for up to six months or fined up to $10,000, or both.

Repeat offenders can be jailed for up to a year or fined up to $20,000, or both.- DAVID SUN