A THUG who coughed at a policeman answering a 999 domestic violence call and told him he had coronavirus has been jailed.

Simon Kibble assaulted the officer after the defendant had throttled his girlfriend in an alcohol-fuelled attack in Blackwood.

Prosecutor Rob Simpkins said the shocking incident started when the 29-year-old threw his mobile at his partner.

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Kibble became “irate and aggressive” after his phone became damaged.

Mr Simpkins added: “His partner asked him to leave the address and he started to push her and she fell back.

“He puts his hand around her neck and started to choke her. He was shouting at her about his mobile phone and kicking a door.

“The police approached and the defendant deliberately coughed at one of the officers and told him, ‘I’ve got coronavirus.’”

Kibble, of Bevan Close, Trethomas, Caerphilly, pleaded guilty to two counts of common assault.

Mr Simpkins said the defendant’s partner had told how she had been left “stressed” after she was attacked.

She added: “I wish he wouldn’t drink so much.”

The prosecutor said the policeman told of how these were “scary times” for frontline officers and that there was a feeling of “heightened anxiety” during the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Simpkins added: “The officer said, ‘I hope this was just a mindless act.’”

Frank Whittle, mitigating, said: “This was a very unpleasant incident and it was a stupid and immature thing to say.”

His lawyer added that Kibble “is not a nasty or venomous person”.

Judge Shomon Khan told the defendant: “Alcohol was an aggravating factor in this deeply unpleasant incident.

“Coronavirus can bring out the best in people but it can also bring out the worst in the people.

“This has had a serious impact on the officer and his family.”

Judge Khan jailed Kibble for 16 weeks.