Man spat blood in West Midlands Police officer's eye

A man has admitted spitting blood into the eye of a police officer in a "vulgar and unacceptable" act.

Temisan Oritsejafor assaulted West Midlands Police officer Annie Napier after his arrest at a block of flats in Coventry on 18 April.

The 41-year-old pleaded guilty to two counts of assault on an emergency worker and a further charge of assault at the city's magistrates' court.

Oritsejafor will be sentenced at Warwick Crown Court on 2 July.

West Midlands Police said PC Napier suffered no ill-effects from the attack in Attoxhall Road, Wyken, which was captured on a body-worn camera.

Oritsejafor was on bail for assaulting an officer just weeks earlier.

Speaking after the attack, PC Napier said: "As front-line officers, we know that we put ourselves in potential danger, but we now face the added risk of Covid-19 infection, which then also puts our families at risk.

"It's a shock when someone spits in your face and very unpleasant, so I'm pleased the force and the courts take these assaults so seriously."

Supt Jenny Skryme added: "It is vulgar and unacceptable to spit at anybody, but even more so a key worker who is putting themselves at risk to keep people safe and catch criminals.

"Our officers are bravely and repeatedly on the front line despite the understandable safety concerns across the country.

"This type of assault on our staff is deplorable and shouldn't, and won't, be tolerated."

Oritsejafor pleaded guilty on 20 April.

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