Coronavirus: Man jailed for spitting at ambulance couple

Police said an ambulance was called after Dale Pickering was seen lying in the street, but he became abusive to staff trying to help him

A man who spat at two ambulance staff responding to an emergency call has been jailed for 20 weeks.

Married couple Matthew and Paula Page, who work for East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS), were called to Wood Lane in Warsop on 16 May.

After arriving, Nottinghamshire Police said Dale Pickering began acting aggressively and spat at them.

The 31-year-old, of Bishops Walk in Church Warsop, admitted two counts of assaulting an emergency worker.

He also admitted another count of assault at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, and was handed a further 20-week sentence suspended for 18 months for two counts of drink-driving and another assault.

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EMAS said the ambulance was called after a member of the public saw Pickering lying the street.

Ms Page said they took him home, where he spat at another man and also spat in her face and pushed her husband.

"We asked the patient if he could stop spitting by explaining the seriousness of passing on Covid-19 but he wouldn't stop," she said.

"I felt angry and upset that someone could treat myself and my husband in such a vile manner when all we were trying to do was help someone who needed our assistance."

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Earlier this month figures showed Nottinghamshire Police investigated 89 incidents of key workers being spat or coughed at since 20 March.

Kelvin Langford, local security specialist for EMAS, said they take "a zero-tolerance approach" to assaults on staff.