Man who coughed on police officer and claimed to have coronavirus jailed

A man who coughed on a police officer in Westminster and claimed to have coronavirus has been jailed for six months.

Adam Lewis, 55, was sentenced at Westminster Magistrates' Court after being convicted of assaulting an emergency worker.

It is believed to mark the first jail sentence in London imposed for a coronavirus-related incident involving a police officer.

An officer was flagged down in Westminster by a member of the public at around 3.40pm on Tuesday to reports Lewis had been trying to open car doors in the area.

When he tried to approach Lewis to search him, the 55-year-old "tried to resist and smashed a bottle of wine he was holding on the floor", police said.

Lewis then verbally threatened the officer, telling him: "I am covid and I am going to cough in your face and you will get it."

He then coughed on the officer, who was holding Lewis at arm's length and not attempting to cover his mouth, before falling to the floor.

A spokesman for Met Police said: "The PC bent down to restrain him, while holding his head away from Lewis, who attempted to cough up phlegm, before trying to spit in his face.

"Lewis also threatened to bite him, shortly after telling the PC that he had a bad disease and that he was going to give it to him."

He was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and was taken into custody in central London.

Chief Superintendent Helen Harper, from Area West Command Unit, said: “My officers are doing everything they can to keep the public safe and police to the very best of their abilities

"We appreciate that the vast majority of people are making every effort to comply with the measures the government has introduced.

"While these type of assaults are thankfully a rare occurrence, this incident was horrendous and if we do encounter this type of unacceptable behaviour we will be robust in our response.

"I hope the sentence today conveys a strong message that it will not be tolerated."