Chesterfield man spat “blood” on police officers at start of pandemic

Police have told how officers who had “blood spat on them'' by a Hasland man at the start of the pandemic faced an “anxious time” in the days that followed.
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Two officers were exposed to the risk of being infected with Covid when Luke Hatcher’s blood-mixed saliva landed on them during an assault on March 7, last year.

Derbyshire Police say the vile assault also affected the police constables’ families - who shared the possibility of contracting the deadly virus.

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Hatcher, of Ingleton Road, was on licence at the time of the offence at Belper Market Place.

Two officers were exposed to the risk of being infected with Covid when Luke Hatcher’s blood-mixed saliva landed on themTwo officers were exposed to the risk of being infected with Covid when Luke Hatcher’s blood-mixed saliva landed on them
Two officers were exposed to the risk of being infected with Covid when Luke Hatcher’s blood-mixed saliva landed on them

He initially denied the crime however he admitted two counts of assault by beating this month.

A spokesman for Derbyshire Police said: “An assault of this nature, at any time but in particular at the start of the pandemic, is especially distressing.

"Officers faced an understandably anxious time - with any family members also facing the risk of contracting Covid-19.

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“We take assaults of emergency workers very seriously and will always investigate any incidents where our officers or staff have suffered.”

Hatcher admitted two counts of assault by beating and was jailed for six weeks suspended for 12 months.

The 28-year-old was also made to pay £300 compensation, £300 court costs and £122 victim surcharge.

In a poll of rank-and-file officers by the Police Federation earlier this year 32 per cent said someone they thought to be infected had threatened to breathe or cough on them.

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Some 21 per cent of officers said a suspected infected person tried to spit at them.

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