A DISGUSTING thug is behind bars after he spat at a shopkeeper and coughed on police, saying he had the coronavirus and hoped that they and their families died.
As cops took Bevan Burke, 22, into custody he began coughing on them, saying: “I’ve got confirmed coronavirus and now you’ve got it. I hope you and your family die.”
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The man, from Northfield, near Birmingham, had been found hiding in a cupboard after spitting at a worker who had previously banned him from the shop.
He had said the same thing after he had gone into Allen’s Croft Post Office on April 3, Birmingham Crown Court heard.
After spitting at the victim he said: “I have coronavirus, you’re going to die.”
Burke was banged up for 42 weeks after pleading guilty to assaulting emergency workers and the shop worker as well as shoplifting.
Assistant Chief Constable Danny Long of West Midlands Police said: “It’s completely unacceptable for people to behave in this way against officers, other emergency services staff, key workers or indeed any member of the public.
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“At a time of heightened concern across the whole country a minority of people are using the threat of coronavirus as a weapon.
“It won’t be tolerated and offenders have now been sent a clear warning: there is the very real risk you will be sent to prison.”
Earlier this month a woman was arrested after she allegedly punched a nurse and spat at two security officers at a hospital in Bolton.
Last month an NHS worker was spat at twice by a man while she was walking home after a ten-hour shift.
Sama Shali, 33, works in medicine management at The Christie Hospital in Manchester, and was walking to a nearby tram station when she was targeted.
In an unrelated incident hug David Mott, 40, was jailed for 26 weeks after spitting at a police officer and threatening to infect her with coronavirus.
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