Teen arrested for spitting at 66-year-old woman and shouting ‘coronavirus’

A teenager has been arrested after a 66-year-old woman was spat and coughed at in Greater Manchester.

The 14-year-old boy has now been charged with one count of section 39 assault, after the incident in Ashton-under-Lyne.

He’s the youngest person to be charged with spitting or coughing at someone during the outbreak.

The boy – who cannot be named for legal reasons – allegedly coughed and spat at the woman before shouting ‘coronavirus’.

Richard Vince / Geograph

This shocking incident happened on Tuesday March 17th, with police officers called to the scene just before 8.30pm.

The boy will now appear at Tameside Youth Court on Tuesday April 7th 2020.

GMP wrote on Facebook: “A boy has been charged after a 66-year-old woman was coughed on and spat at in Tameside.

“The boy, who is aged 14 and cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with one count of section 39 assault and will appear at Tameside Youth Court on Tuesday 7 April 2020.

“Officers were called shortly before 8.30pm on Tuesday 17 March 2020 to a report that earlier that evening a boy had been coughing and shouting ‘Coronavirus’ at a woman in Ashton-under-Lyne town centre.

“A 14-year-old boy was later arrested on suspicion of section 39 assault.”