Coronavirus: Man who claimed he had COVID-19 and spat at police officers is jailed for six months
Brandon Wallace, 21, spat at two officers while being arrested for domestic assault in Barking, east London, police said.
Tuesday 28 April 2020 11:24, UK
A man has been jailed for six months after claiming he had coronavirus and spitting at two police officers while being arrested for domestic assault.
Brandon Wallace was detained by police after officers were called to a woman's property in Barking, east London, at about 11.45am on Monday.
The 21-year-old was arrested on suspicion of assaulting the woman and criminal damage to her property, the Metropolitan Police said.
He told officers that he had COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, and then spat at two officers while being put in a police van, according to the force.
Wallace, of no fixed abode, was further arrested on suspicion of assaulting emergency workers and charged later that day.
While in custody, Wallace confirmed that he did not have coronavirus and did not have any symptoms, the Met Police said.
He was sentenced at Barkingside Magistrates' Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to affray, criminal damage and assaulting emergency workers.
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Inspector Alexis Manley said: "It says much about the attitude of this man that, in addition to targeting somebody close to him, he was also willing to make false claims about COVID-19 and to spit at officers.
"He has, at least, pleaded guilty to these offences. I hope he spends his period in prison to reflect on his behaviour, and that his prison sentence sends a message to others who are willing to commit domestic offences and to target police officers whose job it is to protect Londoners.
"Such offenders will be arrested and put before the courts, and a prison sentence is a likely outcome."
In a separate incident, Northumbria Police said on Tuesday that Charlene Merrifield, 39, had been jailed for more than four months after she deliberately coughed at an officer as she was being arrested.
Meanwhile, Callum Heaton, 23, was jailed earlier this month for a year after spitting at police in Lancashire while claiming he had coronavirus.
In another incident, Michael Gray, 41, was sentenced in April to 19 weeks in prison after he deliberately coughed on two officers during the COVID-19 lockdown.