Cases of thugs attempting to weaponise coronavirus have started to rise across the UK, with two incidences in the last week alone where two men have attempted to use the virus to intimidate police officers.
Two recent incidences have been recorded, in Kent and Bournemouth respectively, whereby individuals have become abusive with police upon arrest and decided to spit and sneeze, while firing off warnings about being a carrier of Covid-19.
In Whitstable, Kent, a mindless meat thief who spat at a police officer and told him ‘I have coronavirus’ before acting in a shocking and violent manner has now been jailed for 120 days.
Horrifying bodycam footage has been released by Kent police chiefs showing how Oliver Cook, 35, was arrested outside a supermarket in the local area, after he was seen trying to steal meat.
As Cook was searched, he spat at a police officer before struggling in an attempt to break free of their clutches, before letting out a laugh and declaring: ‘I have coronavirus.’
The footage shows how Cook then repeatedly continued with his phrase ‘I have corona, get away from me’ while being pinned to the pavement in full view of the public.
Still showing resistance, Cook was seen writhing around on the floor in an attempt to make the police officers’ jobs as difficult as possible, while a bystander – appearing to be a friend of Cook – pleaded with him: ‘Don’t spit, please don’t say that and don’t kick off.’
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Oliver Cook, 35, has been jailed after trying to steal meat from a supermarket in Kent
Cook was arrested outside a supermarket in Whitstable after he was seen trying to steal meat
The 35-year-old was pinned down and had a cover placed over hit head after spitting at police
Cook continued to resist and repeatedly screamed: ‘I have corona, get away from me’
He was later charged with two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, theft and criminal damage in the incident on Sunday evening.
Cook, of no fixed address, admitted the charges at Medway Magistrates’ Court in Chatham, Kent on Tuesday and was jailed for a total of 120 days.
Supermarket staff called police after Cook became abusive when challenged over shoplifting and damaging a shop display.
After spitting at one of the officers who searched him, Cook kicked another as he was put into a police van.
Another man in the shot, who appeared to be a friend of Cook, was urging him to calm down
As the thief continued with the ‘I have corona’ screams, the other man urged ‘please don’t say that’ while police officers continued to battle to keep him restrained
Kent Police District Commander for Canterbury and Dover, Chief Inspector Elena Hall, said: ‘All emergency services and our whole community, which includes our officers and staff, are working extremely hard in challenging circumstances.
‘We will not tolerate attacks of this kind. We will seek the prosecution of anyone who spits at or otherwise assaults any of our team, making sure the court know it is aggravated by any claims to have the coronavirus infection.’
While in Bournemouth 50-year-old Martin Turner has been jailed after disregarding social distancing rules in a Boots store and become abusive with police upon arrival – purposely sneezing at the officers and saying ‘have some of the coronavirus.’
In Bournemouth 50-year-old Martin Turner has been jailed after purposely sneezing on police officers and saying: ‘have some of the coronavirus.’ It turned out he was not a confirmed case and did not have symptoms
Turner was arrested for being drunk and disorderly in public and failing to comply with directions under the COVID-19 legislation.
When he was being cautioned he coughed at officers and sneezed in their direction.
It turned out he was not a confirmed case of coronavirus and was not displaying symptoms.
Turner pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker, breaching COVID-19 legislation and being drunk and disorderly in a public place at Poole Magistrates’ Court. He was jailed for 24 weeks.
On Friday the UK announced 684 more coronavirus deaths today, taking the total number of fatalities to 3,605.
Yet again the number is a record one-day high – this has been the case almost every day this week, with each day since Tuesday announcing more victims than the last.
The new numbers mean the number of people dead from COVID-19 in the UK has risen five-fold in a week, from just 759 last Friday, March 27.