Drunk Chesterfield youth claimed he had Covid after spitting on police officer

Bradley Beavers’ saliva missed a custody sergeant but hit an officer behind him in the chest as he “reared his head back” while being booked in at a police station.

Chesterfield Crown Court heard how on January 16 after “a substantial amount of saliva” landed on the officer Beavers, 18, was taken to the floor and had a spit hood put on him.

The vile incident happened after Beavers was arrested while drunk and was put inside a police van.

Drunk youth Beavers - described as giving “constant abuse” and referring to himself as “Nottingham boy” - then “spat repeatedly” on the floor inside the van’s cage.

In a victim impact statement an officer said: “I’m an experienced custody sergeant however I have the right to do my job without fear of being spat at or assaulted.”

Beavers’ solicitor Steve Brint said the incident took place just six days after the defendant had turned 18 and described his client as an “immature 18-year-old”.

Describing the incident as a “despicable offence in the current climate” Mr Brint said Beavers had a “difficult background” and was “abandoned as a small child”.

ADHD-diagnosed Beavers was left to “fend for himself” and “led down a criminal path” by peers - appearing before youth courts on “a number of occasions”.

District Judge Andrew Davison described the incident as a “dreadful offence” and told Beavers: “Telling someone you have Covid after spitting at them really is despicable.

“You deserve to be locked up - how would you like to be spat at someone who says they have Covid?”

Beavers, of Kedleston Court, Staveley, admitted common assault, assault by beating and criminal damage.

Noting that jailing Beavers would do more harm than good, Judge Davison handed him a 16-week sentence suspended for 12 months.

During an 18-month community order he was also made to take part in 26 days of the probation Resolve programme, 12 rehabilitation activity sessions and 40 hours’ unpaid work.

Compensation of £100 was also ordered for each of Beavers’ victims.

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