Man sentenced after spitting at police officer in Epsom and joking he had coronavirus

Nicholas Francis Hazell, 36 of Depot Road, Epsom has been sentenced to 12 weeks in prison for spitting at a Surrey Police officer.

Hazell was arrested on Tuesday, 7 April after being wanted in relation to an ongoing investigation. Following his arrest Hazell claimed he was infected with coronavirus before urinating in the back of the police van, for which he was further arrested for criminal damage. After falsely claiming to have swallowed some drugs he was in possession of, Hazell was taken to hospital as a precaution. Whilst there, he proceeded to spit at a Surrey Police officer and was arrested again for assaulting an emergency services worker.

He was remanded and appeared at Guildford Crown Court on Thursday, 9 April where he pleaded guilty to criminal damage and assault against an emergency services worker.

He was sentenced to 12 weeks behind bars and fined £250 to compensate the officer assaulted. The officer assaulted is currently in an enforced isolation period for two weeks.

PC Elena Boafo said “This was a malicious offence, particularly given the current climate. Hazell’s actions caused a police officer to be out of work for two weeks making an emergency services worker unavailable to the people of Surrey. I hope this sentence proves that assaults against emergency services workers will not be tolerated.”