Coronavirus 'super spreader' coughed at police on towpath

A MAN on the towpath of the Trent & Mersey Canal at Swarkestone has been jailed for four months.

When approached by the police Christopher McKendrick of Swarkestone coughed at them stating he was a coronavirus 'super spreader', Keith Gudgin reports.

Admitted common assault

He was subsequently arrested after the incident on Thursday 2nd April and given a 16 weeks prison sentence admitting common assault, possession of an offensive weapon, assaulting an emergency worker and using threatening, abusive, insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress. He was also ordered to pay a £122 victim surcharge.

The police were called to Swarkestone Lock after the man was being abusive and threatening, waving a two feet length of wood above his head after a boater had asked him to keep away from the moored boats because of the threat of coronavirus.

Coughed in officers direction

He had told the boaters he had had coronavirus and was now a super spreader, that caused them to call the police.  When three officers approached him he told them too he was a super spreader and coughed in their direction, upon which he was immediately arrested.

Inspector Chris Thornhill, of Derbyshire Police, stated:

"I am pleased that the courts have taken swift and decisive action in this case.  My officers are on the front-line and are putting themselves at risk to protect others.  They spoke to the arrested man to get information that would help protect them and others and did not deserve the response they got from him."