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Man arrested after deliberately coughing on police officers

POLICE have arrested a man in Derry after he deliberately coughed on two police officers.

The man was being transported to custody when he told police he had Covid-19 symptoms and coughed on them. A police spokesman said the 33-year-old man was initially arrested following a collision at Creggan Heights Roundabout around 6.45pm on Thursday.

The spokesman said police found three damaged cars with one woman passenger needing hospital treatment for her injuries.

“The male was arrested on suspicion of a number of driving-related offences, including driving with excess alcohol in breath and causing grievous bodily injury by driving carelessly when unfit.”

While en route to custody, the man was further arrested for an alleged assault on police.

The PSNI spokesman said: “The suspect then intentionally coughed in the direction of two constables who were travelling in the same vehicle, having previously stated he was experiencing symptoms of Covid-19. He was subsequently further arrested on two counts of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent.”

Police have reported a number of incidents in recent days in which people deliberately coughed in the direction of officers after claiming that they had Covid-19.

Earlier this week, a 39-year-old Belfast man appeared at the city’s magistrate’s court charged with two counts of attempting to inflict GBH on police. The man was arrested after he allegedly coughed in the faces of two officers while being arrested on suspicion of attacking his partner.

Last weekend, police reported that youths taking part in a drinking party in Derry were seen coughing on each other as they told police they had the coronavirus.