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'I'm just worried about corona': 'Vulgar' moment man spits blood in police officer's eye

The “despicable” moment a man spits blood into the eye of a police officer has been caught on camera.

UK man Temisan Oritsejafor, 41, assaulted West Midlands Police officer Annie Napier after his arrest on April 18.

In the body camera vision released by police, the man can be seen struggling with officers as he’s handcuffed following a disorder at an apartment block in Coventry before turning around and spitting blood into the eye of the female officer.

West Midland Police offcer Annie Napier was visibly shaken by the incident (left), where the man (right) spat blood into her eye.
A visibly shaken PC Annie Napier (left) after she is spit in the eye. Pictured right is the man who is gearing up to spit in her face. Source: West Midlands Police

After a further struggle, Oritsejafor is taken away and the camera falls on a visibly shaken Police Constable (PC) Napier, with the other officers asking if she’s alright.

She wipes her face and says: “I’m just worried about that corona(virus).”

A police statement says Oritsejafor is facing a “significant jail term” for the “despicable” act after he pleaded guilty to two counts of assault on an emergency worker and a further charge of assault. He will be sentenced on a later date.

The statement said PC Napier “suffered no ill-effects” from the incident and is back at work.

"As frontline 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,” PC Napier said.

"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."

Superintendent Jenny Skryme added it was “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”.

A photo of Temisan Oritsejafor who has pleaded guilty to two counts of assault on an emergency worker.
Temisan Oritsejafor was already on bail for assaulting another officer just weeks earlier. Source: West Midlands Police

"Our officers are bravely and repeatedly on the frontline 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,” she said.

Oritsejafor was already on bail for assaulting another officer just weeks earlier.

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