Victorian truckie Brendan Moore, 57, has been denied bail and remanded in custody after an alleged incident at the Bordertown checkpoint last week.
Moore faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court charged with assaulting a police officer and another worker, and resisting police, after being asked to show proof of his vaccination status, reports ABC News.
Prosecutors alleged Moore then became abusive towards police and pushed one in the shoulder, resisted arrest and spat at the arresting officers.
The court also heard that Moore could not produce evidence of his status, but duty solicitor Mary-Anne Goldsworthy told the court that the self-employed truck driver of 17 years denied the allegations and did have proof.
“She told the court police would not accept his vaccine documentation and would only accept proof through the MyGov website, which Moore could not access.
“He asked the police for assistance … they did attempt but they weren’t able to get into MyGov,” Goldsworthy said.
“He was told to return to Victoria.
“A scuffle then ensued; on Moore’s version he did not hit police, they proceeded to take him to the ground when he refused to return to his truck.
She said Moore sustained neck and wrist injuries during his arrest and two witnesses at the checkpoint filmed the arrest and told police not to continue.
Goldsworthy said Moore was reluctant to return to Victoria as he had financially struggled during the pandemic.
“He had a driver who had abandoned one of his trucks en route, there was a fuel bill that needed to be paid, that matter then proceeded to bankruptcy,” she said.
“He tried to hire another driver … but once the mandated vaccine was put in place, he was unable to find another driver.”
Magistrate David McLeod said the safety of the community was paramount and he remanded Moore in custody until his next court appearance in November.