Yob told to do 150 hours unpaid work for spitting in Northamptonshire police officer's face during Covid lockdown

Magistrates sentenced a man to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work after he admitted spitting in a police officer's face during last year's coronavirus lockdown.

A court heard how William Miekle was arrested after a row in a Corby street on May 3 last year.

The 29-year-old spat over Sgt Rachel Grey's face and clothes as he was being taken away.

Miekle, from Eastbrook in Corby admitted assaulting an emergency worker and a public order offence when he appeared at Northampton Magistrates Court last week.

He was also ordered to pay the officer £300 compensation, plus £180 in costs and a surcharge to fund victim services.

The maximum sentence for assaulting a police officer or emergency worker was increased to 12 months in 2018.

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