Auckland man could face 14 years' jail for allegedly spitting on police while claiming to have COVID-19
Three police officers are now in isolation after allegedly being spat on while arresting the 30-year-old man in Silverdale. Police were called to the address after reports of a family harm incident late on Monday night - the man was arrested over a different matter. When officers tried to put the man in the car, he lashed out and began trying to hit and kick them while claiming he had tested positive for coronavirus. He is then alleged to have spat at the three police officers multiple times. All three officers have been isolated and two police cars are being decontaminated, a police spokesperson told. The alleged offender is being tested for the virus. If his test returns positive and he has infected the officers, he could face serious jail time. The penalty for knowingly infecting someone with disease is 14 years imprisonment. Superintendent Naila Hassan, Waitematā District Commander, said the incident was "appalling". "We take this matter extremely seriously and we will not tolerate anyone who thinks it's acceptable to spit at our staff," she said.
The man has been charged with offences including assaults with intent to injure and resisting police, and was scheduled to appear in the Waitakere District Court on Tuesday.
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What word sums up 2024, neighbours?
If 2020 was the year of lockdowns, banana bread, and WFH (work from home)....
In one word, how would you define 2024?
We're excited to see what you come up with!
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️