Police have blocked a big family funeral because it broke coronavirus laws.
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In the end, car-crash victim Jayson Humphries was lowered into the ground after officers told most of the mourners they would have to leave the cemetery.
His father and mother said they were "disgusted" by the police presence. "I hope no-one else has to go through what we went through today," Peter Humphries said.
The bereaved family's plan for most mourners to keep about 50-metres' distance across the turf from the funeral itself was rejected.
Police insisted the bulk of mourners leave before the burial of the Canberra car-crash victim could take place.
Officers and the father of the deceased negotiated for about 45 minutes, as the line of young mourners stood firm about 20 metres away.
Jayson Humphries died in a crash in Cook in the middle of a Saturday morning. His family lives in Oxley but the funeral was in Queanbeyan, and so subject to New South Wales law.
The law on limiting funerals to ten people has been applied differently on each side of the border.
New South Wales has been firmer while in the ACT, at least seven funerals with more than ten people involved have taken place after an appeal to the health authorities on compassionate grounds.
A spokeswoman for NSW Police said that officers had gone to the funeral because "ministerial directions were being breached.
"There are strict laws under the public health orders that are currently in place."
The police, she said, then "facilitated and made sure people could pay their respects". No infringement notices were issued.
At the Lawn Cemetery in Queanbeyan, police were respectful towards the family but firm that the gathering broke the law.
The family were polite - albeit with some outpouring of loud anger and grief.
The two sides finally agreed to a compromise where mourners could go to the coffin in twos to pay their respects but then leave the cemetery.
This they did, filing to the grave, often with blue and white balloons which they released after touching the coffin.
When they had gone, the small core of the close family, minus some of the deceased's brothers, buried Jayson Humphries who died in the crash in Cook nearly a month ago.
"Please let us bury our son with dignity," Mr Humphries said.
"Jayson has left behind his partner and two beautiful little boys - Eli and Luka," he said.
"We just want the best for the boys - to say goodbye to their father," Maria Humphries said.
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After the funeral, the family was angry. Mr Humphries said that there were twelve police officers there.
He and his wife, Maria, said they were disgusted at the way the family was treated.
They did bury their son - later than they expected, and with a lot of grief and anger.
Steve Evans
Steve Evans is a reporter on The Canberra Times. He's been a BBC correspondent in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul and the sole reporter/photographer/paper deliverer on The Glen Innes Examiner in country New South Wales. "All the jobs have been fascinating - and so it continues."
Steve Evans is a reporter on The Canberra Times. He's been a BBC correspondent in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul and the sole reporter/photographer/paper deliverer on The Glen Innes Examiner in country New South Wales. "All the jobs have been fascinating - and so it continues."
