Asher Vander Sanden bailed as she fights six month jail term for sneaking across WA border

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A woman jailed for sneaking into Western Australia in a truck from Victoria, breaching the state's quarantine laws has been granted bail as she prepares to appeal her sentence. Asher Faye Vander Sanden, 28, was last week jailed for six months after pleading guilty in Perth Magistrates Court to failing to comply with a direction under WA's Emergency Management Act. Her lawyers immediately appealed the sentence which is so far the toughest penalty handed down for a coronavirus quarantine breach in WA.

On Wednesday, she faced the Supreme Court of WA and was granted bail by Justice Jenni Hill. She will return to court for her appeal hearing next Friday. Vander Sanden was arrested at her partner's Scarborough home on August 11 after travelling from Victoria by road without being detected. She had applied for and been granted an exemption to fly to WA and quarantine in a hotel for 14 days at her own expense.

Police made inquiries after Vander Sanden, who is a WA resident, did not arrive at Perth Airport as outlined in her application. She faced court last week via video link from Bandyup Women's Prison where she was handed a jail term of six months and one day. She was made eligible for parole. Individuals found to have breached WA's strict quarantine laws face a maximum penalty of 12 months' imprisonment or a $50,000 fine.