After a drawn-out legal struggle, Shellharbour cafe owners Anthony and Natalie Reale have triumphed in court, seeing charges related to Covid-19 mask mandates dismissed.

The Reales, owners of Village Fix cafe, faced legal action for allegedly not wearing face masks and failing to ensure their staff did so during the height of Australia’s Covid-19 lockdown madness in June 2021. They were arrested and charged, prompting a three-year legal battle.

Their lawyer, Manny, shared the details:

“We presented medical evidence early on showing that both Anthony and Natalie had conditions exempting them from mask mandates. Despite this, police ignored our representations, leading to prolonged court proceedings,” he said.

“The mask charge against Natalie was dismissed, and although she was found guilty of not ensuring her staff wore masks, no conviction was recorded,” Manny explained. Anthony’s charge of not wearing a mask was also dismissed.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Anthony said the couple were relieved the ordeal was finally over.

“The process was prolonged, but it worked in our favour as more information about the situation came to light. Our faith in the judicial system has been reinforced,” he said.

However, Natalie stressed the ordeal greatly affected the cafe, with the couple’s business suffering significantly due to the negative mainstream media attention, forcing them to relocate.

“We were thriving before, but the negative media portrayal and the legal battle took a toll,” Natalie noted.

Despite these challenges, the Reales remain positive.

“We don’t regret anything. We did nothing wrong, and it was proven in court.”

“Thank you to everyone who stood by us. Your support has been incredible and essential in seeing this through.”

Now, the Reales continue their journey with renewed hope and a commitment to their community.