Man who robbed takeaway driver and spat at police jailed

Police said Ryan Francis punched a pizza delivery driver in the jaw, broke his mobile phone and ripped his shirt

A man who stole food from a takeaway driver and later spat at a police officer has been jailed for 21 months.

Police said officers were flagged down by the pizza delivery driver on St Ann's Well Road, Nottingham, on 4 May.

He said he had been assaulted and a bag of takeaway food he was delivering was stolen from him in nearby Plantagenet Street.

Ryan Francis was found with a tub of Ben & Jerry's ice cream in his pocket at an address passed on by the driver.

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The driver was punched in the jaw, his shirt was ripped and his mobile phone was broken in the attack, Nottinghamshire Police added.

After finding Francis with the bag of food and ice cream, the 36-year-old was taken into custody where he spat at a police sergeant and was also found to have a small amount of cannabis.

'Terrifying experience'

Francis, of Forest Road West, Nottingham, admitted robbery, assault of an emergency worker and possession of cannabis at Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday.

Investigator Emma Lamb said: "This was a senseless act of violence over a bag of takeaway food and a tub of ice cream.

"This must have been a terrifying experience for the man involved, who was only trying to do his job - just like the police officer who Francis spat at in the course of his duties."

The force said it has investigated 105 incidents of key workers being coughed on or spat at between 20 March and 27 May.

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