A THUG who attacked police officers and coughed in their faces saying he had Coronavirus, has been jailed.

Kieran Paul Cassidy, 33 from Scarborough, pleaded guilty to two charges of assault on emergency service workers, following an incident at Scarborough Police Station. He appeared at Leeds Magistrates Court yesterday (April 21).

Cassidy was arrested on April 8 and when in custody he became violent, directing punches at officers and began coughing in their faces saying he had Coronavirus. He was sentenced to six months in prison.

Superintendent Andrea Kell, Commander for Scarborough, said: “At a time when communities are coming together to face the extreme challenges of a global pandemic, I am appalled that anyone could behave in the way Cassidy did.

“Assaulting a Police Officer in their line of duty is utterly unacceptable and extremely shocking. To threaten to infect them with a deadly virus is a truly despicable act.

“As can be seen with Cassidy’s sentence, anyone suspected of committing this type of crime can expect to face prosecution”.