A Gloucestershire man accused of deliberately coughing in a paramedic's face is due in court tomorrow charged with threatening GBH.

The 43-year-old from Stroud, whose name has not been released by police, was also charged with assaulting an emergency worker.

Gloucestershire Constabulary said: "The ambulance service was called just before 11pm last night to reports of a man in Stroud who was feeling unwell.

"They attended an address where another man who was self isolating, allegedly deliberately coughed in the face of one of the paramedics.

"The man, a 43 year old, was arrested, charged and remanded for assaulting an emergency worker by way of coughing and threatening GBH by infecting with COVID 19."

Last week, the Crown Prosecution Service said it would treat reports of people claiming they had coronavirus and coughing at key workers as assault. 

Max Hill QC, Director of Public Prosecutions, said: “Emergency workers are more essential than ever as society comes together to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

“I am therefore appalled by reports of police officers and other frontline workers being deliberately coughed at by people claiming to have Covid-19.

“Let me be very clear: this is a crime and needs to stop. The CPS stands behind emergency and essential workers and will not hesitate to prosecute anybody who threatens them as they go about their vital duties.”