A TEENAGER was arrested over the weekend for spitting in the face of a Garda and claiming to have coronavirus.
The teenager, who has been named as 19-year-old Adam Olden, was arrested on Friday night after becoming aggressive when approached by Gardaí when attempting to leave his home in Togher, County Cork.
A Garda spokesperson confirmed that Olden became aggressive to the pair of Gardaí who approached him and proceeded to spit in the face of one Garda and then claim that he had coronavirus.
He was arrested at the scene and taken to Bridewell Garda Station where he was charged in connection with the incident.
Both Gardaí have been taken off active duty for two weeks in order to self-isolate as a precaution.
The teenager then appeared at a special sitting of Anglesea Street District Court on Sunday, 29 March at 12.30pm.
He was released on bail and must comply with strict conditions including a curfew from 8pm to 6am and a ban on ingesting intoxicants.
The assault comes following the news that Gardaí will be provided with 16,000 'spithoods' to protect arresting officers after a rise in reports of emergency service staff, including health care workers, being spit at or coughed on as the coronavirus takes hold in the country.
