The 48-year-old travelled from Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne on August 31 but provided false information on his border declaration.

He returned to Queensland to recover from infected gunshot wounds after being targeted in a drive-by shooting on July 1.

He is on a waiting list for an operation to reattach his knee cap to his knee.

Bowden appeared in Southport Magistrates Court on Thursday wearing a leg brace as he pleaded guilty to one count of providing false or misleading documents under the Public Health Act.

He was diagnosed with coronavirus while in hospital in Melbourne awaiting surgery but was cleared by Victorian authorities on August 21.

On August 22 he tested positive to a second test but was not infectious.

The court was told Bowden was taking strong painkillers when he returned to Queensland on August 31 and was confused by the questions on the declaration form.

Magistrate Joan White accepted the questions on the form were not clearly worded.

“People have to do the right thing but I can understand from the submissions made on your behalf that it was somewhat confusing for you and I can see exactly why,” White said.

“I can understand how he ended up confused, I find it confusing.”

She fined Bowden $750 – significantly less than the maximum penalty of $13,345.

Bowden was once part of the Finks “terror team” and jailed over the Gold Coast’s “ballroom blitz” brawl in which three people were shot and two stabbed in 2006.

-AAP