Jail for Woman Who Spit at Cop, Saying He Should Die of Corona

(Bloomberg) --

A woman who spit at an English police officer and later said she hoped he’d “die of corona” was sentenced to eight months in jail.

Lianne Mottershead kicked one officer in the groin and then spit at another in early April, the U.K. Crown Prosecution Service said Tuesday in a statement. Later, the 30-year-old told a custody officer that she had the coronavirus and hoped the policeman would die.

Police and prosecutors around Europe are cracking down on people exploiting the virus. Last month, before Mottershead’s attack, the CPS issued a strict warning that coughing, spitting and other threats to police related to the virus wouldn’t be tolerated.

“This behavior is as disgusting as it is dangerous,” aid Gerry Wareham, chief prosecutor for the CPS in Yorkshire and Humberside. “Mottershead has been sentenced to eight months imprisonment. I hope she spends that time reflecting on the absolute stupidity of her actions.”

Mottershead told police that she had been advised to self isolate after testing positive for the virus.

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