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Manchester: two men arrested after spitting and coughing at police Manchester: two men arrested after spitting and coughing at police
(about 3 hours later)
Separate incidents took place as police were responding to calls amid coronavirus pandemicSeparate incidents took place as police were responding to calls amid coronavirus pandemic
A man accused of spitting blood in the face of police officers during the coronavirus pandemic has been remanded in custody. A 14-year-old boy has been charged after a woman was allegedly coughed on and spat at in Greater Manchester, while a 38-year-old man accused of spitting blood in the face of police officers has been remanded in custody.
Samuel Konneh, 38, appeared in the dock at Manchester and Salford magistrates court where he was refused bail by the district judge, John Temperley. There have been multiple reports of people deliberately coughing at others, including NHS staff, in an attempt to frighten them as anxiety grows amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Humayun Khan, prosecuting, told the court Konneh is accused of four counts of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent relating to the spitting at the officers. The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with one count of section 39 assault and will appear at youth bench of the Tameside magistrates court on 7 April, police said.
Officers were called just before 8.30pm on 17 March to a report that a boy had been coughing and shouting “coronavirus” at a 66-year-old woman in Ashton-under-Lyne town centre, Tameside.
Separately, Samuel Konneh, 38, was remanded in custody at Manchester and Salford magistrates court on Saturday. The court heard that the defendant is accused of four counts of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent relating to the spitting at the officers.
Police were responding to reports of a woman being assaulted in Withington, south Manchester, on Thursday when the defendant allegedly spat at them.Police were responding to reports of a woman being assaulted in Withington, south Manchester, on Thursday when the defendant allegedly spat at them.
The defendant is also accused of one count of stalking and one of battery, relating to a female victim. All the offences are alleged to have taken place on Thursday. No pleas were entered. The defendant is also accused of one count of stalking and one of battery, relating to a female victim. All the offences were alleged to have taken place on Thursday, and no pleas were entered.
Konneh, of Withington, was remanded in custody to appear at Manchester crown court on 24 April. Also in Manchester, Mateusz Rejewski, 33, has been charged with assault after allegedly coughing at a police officer and claiming to have the coronavirus.
Greater Manchester police have also charged another man with coughing at an officer while claiming to have coronavirus. Greater Manchester police said he was charged with one count of common assault on an emergency service worker – who is now self-isolating as a precaution – and one count of breaching a dispersal notice.
Mateusz Rejewski, 33, of no fixed abode, has been charged with one count of common assault on an emergency service worker and one count of breaching a dispersal notice. Rejewski has been remanded in custody and will appear at Manchester magistrates court on Tuesday.
Police were responding to an incident in Piccadilly Gardens in central Manchester on Thursday afternoon and detained the suspect for breaching a dispersal order. Meanwhile, a group of teenagers in Cheshire who claimed to have coronavirus and deliberately coughed at NHS staff will be prosecuted, police have said.
Rejewski allegedly coughed at the detaining officer while claiming he had got coronavirus. The officer has since been self-isolating as a precaution. Sgt Hillyard of Cheshire police wrote on social media: “The youths will be prosecuted as will their parental guardians. This is an absolutely abhorrent incident involving abuse of our NHS heroes.
The defendant is in custody and is due to appear at Manchester magistrates court on 28 April. “I will once again urge all parents and persons with parental responsibility to make sure that their children stay inside. You too can and will be prosecuted if you fail to keep your children inside.”
In Scotland, officers said they were aware of a number of incidents where people have allegedly coughed, or threatened to cough, on elderly or vulnerable people after suggesting they were infected with Covid-19.
A healthcare worker was allegedly coughed on by a teenager who waved her over as she drove home from work in Aberdeenshire on Friday.
When she stopped the car he moved towards her and coughed directly in her face, telling her that she would now get coronavirus before running off into the woods laughing, police said, confirming the incident is being treated as assault.
Police Scotland confirmed action would be taken against offenders. “This is not a harmless prank – this is extremely upsetting to victims and causes fear and increased anxiety at an already stressful time,” Ch Supt David Duncan said.
“We will not tolerate this kind of behaviour and we will take robust action against anyone threatening other people in this way.”
Police are appealing for information about the incident in Aberdeenshire which happened on the road from Inchmarlo Golf Course to Brathens Wood at around 1.40pm on Friday.
Sgt Garry Garrow, of Banchory police station, said: “This kind of behaviour is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated. It left the woman distressed and fearful.”