A MAN has been jailed after attempting to spit at a police officer and coughing at custody staff.
Aleksandrs Jegorovs, 43, of Hillmorton Road, Rugby was arrested in the early hours of Thursday morning (January 7) on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly after he was seen on CCTV urinating on a front door on Clifton Road, Rugby.
While in custody at Nuneaton Justice Centre Jegorovs deliberately coughed at a member of custody staff and said ‘covid’.
He then attempted to spit at a police officer but was restrained before he could do so.
He also racially abused a police officer and caused damage to a police van on his way to custody.
In interview Jegorovs said he could not remember committing the offences.
He appeared at Warwickshire Magistrates’ Court the following day and admitted two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, racially aggravated harassment, causing damage to property and being drunk and disorderly in a public place.
He was jailed for 22 weeks and ordered to pay £463 in compensation, victim surcharges and costs.
Chf Supt Ben Smith said: “These were terrible offences, especially given the current climate, committed against members of our workforce who were simply carrying out their duties.
“Police officers are here to protect the public and, like everyone else, should not expect to be exposed to unnecessary risks as a result of such mindless acts. I welcome the sentence passed by the Magistrates’ Court and hope it will send a strong message to others who may consider engaging in such behaviour.”
