Banbury area man jailed for 'Covid-19 related coughing' assault on police

Thomas Butler, aged 27, of Farnborough Road, Mollington, was charged with one count of assaulting an emergency worker and one count of theft from a dwelling.

Police arrested him after coughing at a police officer and claiming to have coronavirus on Saturday March 29.

The theft incident happened in Kenilworth Way in Banbury on January 7, 2019.

Two men talked their way in to a woman’s address on the pretence of selling her some animals. Whilst in the address one man distracted the victim, a 77 year old woman, and the other stole some of the woman’s belongings.

Her bank card was later used fraudulently.

Henry Butler, aged 27 of no fixed abode, was previously sentenced earlier this year in January at Oxford Magistrates Court for fraud by false representation and was given a 24 week suspended sentence for two years.

Thomas Butler was jailed yesterday ( Friday April 3) for a total of 18 weeks after pleading guilty to both charges at Oxford Magistrates’ Court.

Investigating officer for the assault, PC Reece Millar based at Banbury police station, said: “Butler carried out this assault on Saturday and by Friday he has started serving a prison sentence.

“I am very pleased to get such swift justice at this time and I am very glad he has been given a custodial sentence.

“The sentence does show the severity of what Butler did.”

Investigating officer for the theft, PC Sean Allwood based at Banbury police station, said: “After this amount of time, it is always nice to bring offenders to justice.

“The victim in this case was elderly and vulnerable. Butler took advantage of that.

“I hope she now gets some closure, which she deserves.”

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