A West Yorkshire Police officer has been breathed on by a drunk woman who claimed she had coronavirus.
The act has been described as "utterly incomprehensible" and "distressing" for the officer involved, who is being provided with the necessary support.
Detective Superintendent Jim Griffiths said: “Given the particularly challenging circumstances all emergency services are facing amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, it is utterly incomprehensible that they would be treated in this way.
"Irrespective of the fact that this individual has chosen to use coronavirus as the means to assault our colleague, this is a subject which we have campaigned long and hard over."
Coughing or breathing on key workers is now a criminal offence
It happened yesterday after police were called to a property in Whitby Avenue in Fartown, Huddersfield, to reports of disorderly behaviour.
As she was being detained, Leanne Rollinson, who had been arrested for being drunk and disorderly, breathed on the officer, claiming she had coronavirus.
Rollinson has been remanded into custody and will be sentenced at Crown Court on a date yet to be fixed.
Watch: What a coronavirus cough sounds like
“We will continue to use these powers against anyone who attempts to use such tactics against the very people who are trying to protect them," added Det Supt Griffiths.
“The message is clear, we will not tolerate this behaviour from the minority and the criminal justice system will take a dim view of those who take advantage of the virus for their own benefit."
It has not yet been ascertained if the woman arrested suffers from Covid-19.
