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Coronavirus: Man who spat in wife's face and said 'I hope you die' is jailed for 42 weeks

Police wait outside Peterborough Magistrates Court where Maxine Carr will attend court via video link from Holloway Prison, on charges of perverting the course of justice in connection with the murders of the ten year old girls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.   (Photo by Andrew Parsons - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images)
Mark Palmer admitted at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court to common assault and two counts of assault by beating against an emergency worker (Getty)

A man who spat in his wife’s face and told her “I hope you get coronavirus and die” has been jailed for 42 weeks.

Mark Palmer, 55, of Edinburgh Road, Cambridge, attacked his wife when she returned from the shops to find him and a friend drinking beer, Cambridgeshire Police said.

She had objected to him breaking self-isolation rules by inviting the friend into their home for drinks during lockdown.

He attacked and spat at two police officers who were called to deal with the incident and told them “I’m going to give you all coronavirus”, the force said.

Palmer admitted at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Friday to common assault and two counts of assault by beating against an emergency worker, police said.

He also admitted two counts of criminal damage, possession of class B drugs and a public order offence.

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Police ask two women to move on in Primrose Hill, London, Sunday April 5, 2020, as the UK continues in lockdown to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. The new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms for most people, but for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or death.(Aaron Chown/PA via AP)
Police ask two women to move on in Primrose Hill, London, Sunday April 5, 2020, as the UK continues in lockdown to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. (AP)

Detective Constable Sean Clery said: “This was a despicable incident where Palmer used excessive violence and made vile comments regarding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”

DC Sean Clery said: “This was a despicable incident where Palmer used excessive violence and made vile comments regarding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“This type of behaviour against the victim and police officers, who were simply doing their job, is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

Read more: Thief who spat at police officer and said 'I have coronavirus' is jailed

"I would like to commend the victim for her courage and quick-thinking in calling the police, allowing us to apprehend this dangerous man and swiftly put him before the courts.

“I hope the sentence shows how seriously both police and the courts take this type of criminality.

“Tackling domestic abuse is one of our main priorities and I hope this sends a clear message that we are there for victims and will do all that we can to protect them.”

Composition of a leaflet and a letter, posted by the UK Government, inviting the public to stay at home, London on April 6, 2020, during the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. There have been around 50,000 reported cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United Kingdom and 5,000 deaths. The country is in its third week of lockdown measures aimed at slowing the spread of the virus. (Photo by Alberto Pezzali/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
A leaflet and a letter, posted by the UK Government, inviting the public to stay at home. (Getty)

Last week, a 23-year-old man was jailed for one year after spitting at police and claiming he had the coronavirus.

Callum Heaton was arrested for being drunk and disorderly after Lancashire police were called to a report of a disturbance in Burnley in late March.

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The officers said that Heaton spat at two officers while he was being arrested, and shouting that he had caught COVID-19.

A spokesperson for Lancashire Constabulary called the offence "particularly offensive and dangerous".

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