A man accused of slapping or threatening elderly people for sneezing in public has been charged with assault.
Stephen Jackson, 49, allegedly carried out the “highly unusual” attacks against at least five victims – aged 65-82 – in Carlisle city centre.
PC Mike Watson said: “This is certainly a unique type of incident and one that is being treated seriously by ourselves.” He said Jackson was accused of assaulting innocent members of the public “and that sort of behaviour will not be tolerated”.
Jackson, of Shaddongate, Carlisle, was arrested last week after police received five reports of a man allegedly slapping people who had sneezed in public.
The first incident on 19 February involved a 65-year-old woman who was allegedly slapped on the head after sneezing outside a bar.
Since then, four similar assaults were reported on three women, aged 82, 77 and 65, as well as a 67-year-old man.
Jackson was charged with four counts of assault by beating, one count of common assault and one count of using threatening behaviour to cause harassment, alarm and distress.
He is due to appear before North Cumbria magistrates court on 30 June.
