A PENSIONER has been charged after police said they were spat at by a man claiming to have the coronavirus.

Sussex Police said three officers were spat at when they responded to reports of criminal damage at a block of flats in Brighton.

“While responding to the incident, three officers were allegedly spat at by a man claiming to be infected with coronavirus,” a spokesman for the force said.

Unemployed Peter Davy, 65, was arrested at around 5.50pm on Saturday.

He has been charged with three counts of assaulting an emergency worker, using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear of violence and using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

He was remanded in custody to appear before Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Monday 30 March.