Waikato Herald
  • Waikato Herald home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Locations

  • Hamilton
  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Matamata & Piako
  • Cambridge
  • Te Awamutu
  • Tokoroa & South Waikato
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Weather

  • Thames
  • Hamilton
  • Tokoroa
  • Taumarunui
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Waikato News

Covid 19 coronavirus: Man in Hamilton charged after spitting at police

By Chelsea Boyle
Chelsea Boyle is a reporter for the New Zealand Herald·NZ Herald·
15 Apr, 2020 10:23 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Police say spitting "will not be tolerated". Photo / File

Police say spitting "will not be tolerated". Photo / File

A 20-year-old man is due to appear in Hamilton District Court today after allegedly spitting at police following an incident at a supermarket.

Police were called to a central Hamilton supermarket yesterday about 11.30am as the man was suspected of shoplifting.

Police say that after arresting the man he tried to flee and while being detained he spat at officers numerous times.

READ MORE:
• Covid 19 coronavirus: Man jailed for three months for spitting at police during lockdown
• Coronavirus Covid 19: Teen spits at officer in Rangiora, sought by police
• Covid 19 coronavirus: Man accused of spitting on police officers tests negative for virus
• Covid 19 coronavirus: Three police officers in self-isolation after being spat on

As a result of the incident the man has been charged with common assault, escapes custody, theft and wilful damage.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"The health and safety of officers is a priority for police and we have a range of measures in place to protect our people, however given the frontline nature of police work there are risks," Inspector Andrew Mortimore, Acting Waikato District Commander, said.

"Behaviour where people spit at members of the community including police officers will not be tolerated.

"While rare, such behaviour is highly concerning and potentially extremely dangerous."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The officers involved in the incident yesterday have received support and medical advice but have not had to go into self-isolation.

"While we recognise these are challenging times and the current situation may be causing stress and uncertainty for many, that does not excuse criminal behaviour which puts the community at risk," Mortimore said.

President of the NZ Police Association Chris Cahill said the problem predated the alert level 4 lockdown.

"It is already far too common. We get reports weekly, at times on a bad week almost daily of people being spat at."

Clearly in light of the current environment that behaviour was worse and highly risky, he said.

NeedToKnow3
NeedToKnow3

"It's something our officers shouldn't have to put up with. It's truly disgusting behaviour."

It was pleasing to see an offender sentenced to three months' imprisonment last week, as that recognised the change in the seriousness of the offence, Cahill said.

"We'd like to see that sets the benchmark for other offenders, that they can expect the same result."

Cahill said there had been a heightened police presence around supermarkets during the alert level 4 period.

More than 5000 reassurance patrols and checks have occurred throughout communities across New Zealand.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

This probably influenced the "one or two idiots out there who aren't willing to wait in the line or follow the rules", Cahill said.

"The general public have been really good around supermarkets.

"I think they recognise the service that the supermarkets, and particularly the employees working there, are offering so they have responded pretty well."

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Waikato News

Waikato Herald

Waiuku triple-fatal: Neighbour dreads watching another family grieve

Waikato Herald

Waiuku crash victims named as mother, young daughter, niece

Waikato Herald

Detached boat and trailer caused fatal crash near Te Kūiti


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Waikato News

Waiuku triple-fatal: Neighbour dreads watching another family grieve
Waikato Herald

Waiuku triple-fatal: Neighbour dreads watching another family grieve

First person on scene recounts discovering woman and two kids in car.

16 Jul 07:30 AM
Waiuku crash victims named as mother, young daughter, niece
Waikato Herald

Waiuku crash victims named as mother, young daughter, niece

16 Jul 04:14 AM
Detached boat and trailer caused fatal crash near Te Kūiti
Waikato Herald

Detached boat and trailer caused fatal crash near Te Kūiti

16 Jul 02:57 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Waikato Herald e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Waikato Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP