Wellesbourne man jailed for deliberately sneezing and spluttering in the back of a police car after asking officers what their ‘take’ was on Covid-19

A young man who deliberately sneezed and spluttered in the back of a police car after asking officers what their ‘take’ was on Covid-19 has been jailed.

Thomas Coates (21) of Hotchkiss Close, Wellesbourne, appeared at Warwick Crown Court after pleading guilty to two charges of common assault on emergency workers.

Jailing him for five months, a judge said his ‘appalling behaviour’ was too serious for the sentence to be suspended.

Prosecutor Marcus Harry said that on June 13 the police had a call to go to Coates’s home at around 10pm following a ‘domestic incident.’

There was an issue over him causing damage, although that did not result in any charge because it was his own property.

The officers who attended spoke to his father who said they had called 101 to log the matter, rather than to call the police out to deal with it.

“But the officers were concerned and asked the defendant to exit the address. They formed the view he was in drink, and they arrested him on suspicion of causing criminal damage.”

Mr Harry said Coates began shouting at his parents, so he was put in the back of the police car to be taken to Leamington police station, with Pc Stephen Hope driving.

His female colleague Pc Griffiths was in the back of the car with Coates who made a number of comments including that he hoped the car would crash into a tree.

He then leant forward and asked Pc Hope: “What’s your take on coronavirus? If I start coughing, will you stop the car and let me out?”

Coates was told if he did so he could be charged with assaulting an emergency worker, and he immediately sneezed twice, although not directly at either officer, pointed out Mr Harry.

He was arrested for common assault on them and claimed it had been a genuine sneeze because he was suffering from hay fever.

But Judge Barry Berlin observed: “The Crown do not accept that. It’s not a case of genuine sneezing, it’s a case of emergency workers being assaulted.”

In a statement, Pc Hope said: “Although not done directly over me, it was in the confined space of a police car. It is an abhorrent act. I have two children and a wife at home, and it is a concern to me.”

And Pc Griffiths remarked: “I feel what Coates did in the car was disgusting and unnecessary. I believe Coates wanted to intimidate me and cause me fear.”

Richard Baker, defending, said: “Mr Coates had been drinking on a summer’s day and returned home. What led up to this was a bout of ill health and mental health problems.

“He was furloughed and was at home and was finding it difficult. He was threatening to drive his car into an object to take his own life.

“That’s what caused his father to call the police. He didn’t want his son arrested, but to get some help for his son.”

Mr Baker said it was that state of mind that led to Coates making the comment about crashing the car.

“He wishes to apologise to the police officers and realises the impact those words would have had, with hindsight. This appears to be an out-of-character situation,” he added.

Jailing Coates, Judge Berlin told him: “The officers arrested you. While transporting you, you decided to talk about coronavirus and asked if you would be released if you had it.

“But you took it further than that. You feigned exaggerated coughing and sneezing.”

He quoted from Pc Hope’s statement in which the officer described Coates asking if they would let him out if he had Covid-19 and ‘a couple of seconds later began sneezing and spluttering.’

Judge Berlin said: “You were warned about this. I am afraid I have no toleration for anyone who makes a comment like this to police officers or abuses them in this way.

“We have seen a lot of it during the current outbreak of Covid-19. It is used as an excuse to behave like a thug. It is not going to be tolerated. Assault on an emergency worker in this sort of situation in this climate must be taken seriously by the court.

“The two officers were put in a potentially dangerous situation for themselves and for their families by this appalling behaviour. It is too serious to suspend the sentence.”