A man has been jailed for racially abusing a member of staff at council offices in Bristol - accusing them of bringing the covid-19 virus into the country.
Marcus Spiteri, 35, pleaded guilty to the charges against him and was jailed at Bristol Magistrates Court today (April 3).
In a statement, Avon and Somerset Police said: "Police officers were called to the offices in Temple Street on Friday 20 March after Marcus Spiteri, of no fixed address, became abusive after being told the building was on lockdown due to the current health crisis.
"On his way out of the building, Spiteri spoke to a member of staff who he mistook to be Chinese and said told him to 'go home', saying he’d brought the COVID-19 virus into the country."
Following an investigation, officers attended a hotel in Bristol city centre on Thursday, April 2 to arrest Spiteri for this offence, as well as in connection with a recall to prison.
"Spiteri ran out of his hotel room and shut an officer’s hand in the door, causing tissue damage and a fracture," the police statement continued. "He was later detained in a lift and further arrested for assaulting an emergency worker.
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"Spiteri appeared at Bristol Magistrates’ Court this morning by video link and admitted the charges against him.
"He was jailed for eight weeks for the racially aggravated public order incident and 21 weeks for actual bodily harm caused to the officer.
"He will serve the sentences consecutively."
