The Coronavirus thread.

[Chippy_Tea]

A DRUNKEN man coughed and spat towards a police officer after saying he would give her Covid-19.

Blackburn magistrates heard the officer, Sgt Linda Haywood, was appalled by the behaviour of David Mott.

In a victim impact statement, Sgt Haywood said she accepted she put herself at risk in the course of her duty and took all possible precautions.

“What I don’t accept is total disregard for my safety by the defendant. The utter contempt he showed towards me both as a police officer and a fellow human being disgusts me,” she said.

Mott, 40, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour towards a police officer, possessing an offensive weapon, nunchucks, and possession of cannabis.

He was jailed for a total of 26 weeks.

Imposing an immediate prison sentence the chairman of the magistrates said Mott’s behaviour had been as bad as it could get.

“To put the officer in fear of the virus we currently have was totally unacceptable,” he said.


Peter Bardsley, prosecuting, said the incident started in the early hours of Tuesday when officers saw a taxi carrying three passengers in Green Lane, Padiham. They stopped the vehicle because of the recently announced limitations of people gathering and could immediately see the occupants were drunk.

Mott was in Sgt Haywood’s personal space and she told him to back off.

“He said he wasn’t moving away and if she tried to do anything he would just cough and spit at her,” said Mr Bardsley.

“He then proceeded to do just that and she was forced to pepper-spray him and push him away.

“He was clearly aware that Covid-19 was transmitted by coughing and spitting and put the officer in fear for her personal safety,” he said.

The nunchucks, a martial arts weapon, were found in his bag and a small amount of cannabis was discovered when he was searched at the police station.

When he was interviewed Mott said he didn’t remember being arrested because he had been drinking the previous day.

He said he had drunk four litres of cider before meeting a friend who brought 28 cans of Stella Artois. After drinking those they bought 18 more bottles of Stella and two 75cl bottles of vodka which Mott remembered drinking neat from the bottle.

He said he was aware of Covid-19 but not the newest restriction on more than two people being together.

Gareth Price, defending, said his client recognised the magistrates would find his behaviour extremely distasteful.

“He also recognises the officers were doing their job in particularly difficult circumstances,” said Mr Price.

“They didn’t need to be met by people like him in a drunken state behaving in the way that he did. He realises you will want to send out a message that behaviour like this towards the police will not be tolerated at any time but particularly in the present circumstances.”

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/18336227.thug-spat-police-sergeant-told-give-covid-19/

 

[obscure]

How does everyone else find being stuck at home? I have been working from home now for nearly 2 weeks. Apart from getting some fresh air or going for a run and the solitary shop I did.. It is hard not to get cabin fever..

I have being working full time from home the past few days which is actually a relief as it givea a bit of structu and means I’m not constantly checking the news. And being kind of impressed with video conferencing.

I think it’s the lack of freedom that gets To me even to do,something as simple,as wonder to the shops, or just go for a walk. The casual nod or greeting from strangers when out for a walk has being replaced with the polite crossing the road so you keep your two meters apart.

I've never thought of myself as particularly social but it is amazing how much you miss the casual interaction with people

 

[PhilBrew]

Can members read the full quote above.
I have removed another post sinse posting it and did ask members not to keep this going I don't want to remove all the posts I referred to above so please drop the subject and move on as its only going to go the same way again.

... masterful moderation @Chippy_Tea ... I wasn't around last night so don't know what was removed, but it seems like you've removed enough that I couldn't tell who was involved and what it was all about, even if I tried from the remains in the thread ... when the evening applause for all those key workers sounds out later, I hope you can accept that some of us will be chucking in a few extra claps for you

Keep up the good work
Cheers, PhilB

 

[pms67]

... masterful moderation @Chippy_Tea ... I wasn't around last night so don't know what was removed, but it seems like you've removed enough that I couldn't tell who was involved and what it was all about, even if I tried from the remains in the thread ... when the evening applause for all those key workers sounds out later, I hope you can accept that some of us will be chucking in a few extra claps for you

Keep up the good work
Cheers, PhilB

Agreed, Chippy does a good job and must pull his hair out at times with us lot.
Tbh though last night wasn’t bad, a couple of (since regrettable ) insults were chucked about but overall it’s a great forum full of people who have often had a few!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thanks Phil.

 

[Leon103]

Nice move from Tesco.


Supermarket Tesco has said that online shoppers will have their deliveries capped at 80 items from now on.

In an email to customers it said that the aim was "to increase the number of customers we can safely deliver to".

It is the latest move by supermarkets to safeguard people and supplies during the coronavirus pandemic.

Supermarkets will also use a government database of 1.5 million vulnerable shoppers in England to help prioritise delivery slots.

'Full capacity'

Tesco has already limited all products to a maximum of three per customer, whether they shop online or in stores.

Announcing the latest measure, the retail giant said that online orders already placed were unaffected unless customers make changes to them. Anyone who edits an existing order will become subject to the 80-item limit.

Tesco added: "We're at full capacity for the next few weeks and we ask those who are able to safely come to stores to do so, instead of shopping online.

"This will help us to free up more slots for the more vulnerable."



https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52051498

Still nothing on them diverting stock to main cities leaving us in the rural areas with nothing. I have been trying to get a response from ASDA on it all week. Their app shows all items of stock are available until you log in and then there is nothing available. At least my MP brought it up twice with the PM.

The above does mean the elderly will find it harder. We have a re-occurring ASDA slot and use it to order for a number of neighbours who are elderly and don't have internet use.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Agreed, Chippy does a good job and must pull his hair out at times with us lot.
Tbh though last night wasn’t bad, a couple of (since regrettable ) insults were chucked about but overall it’s a great forum full of people who have often had a few!

Thanks PMS, i still have a bit of hair left

You are right the insults were not too bad and we have seen much worse but if left they can lead to more so best removed sooner rather than later, my job means i am up before most here so i can remove any dodgy posts made by those "who have often had a few" before the rest see them and join in.

 

[marshbrewer]

Some good news.

James Dyson designed a new ventilator in 10 days. He's making 15,000 for the pandemic fight

 

[The Baron]

Agreed, Chippy does a good job and must pull his hair out at times with us lot.
Tbh though last night wasn’t bad, a couple of (since regrettable ) insults were chucked about but overall it’s a great forum full of people who have often had a few!

I would not want the job its like being a football referee.
No forum without them but so many different characters with different views and if you mod them some can not see why.
Good job most of us can give as much as we can take,
Its just the beer can get in the way sometimes and with that peoples views can become quite strong.
I try not to comment late night/early hours for that reason
Well done Chippy and all the mods, at this moment in time its a blessing that there are people to talk to albeit online - keeping me sane

 

[MadChefUK]

That's the spirit. Well said. Could you tell us how to make masks out of old sheets or pillow cases. I'll dust down the old "Singer" and give the treadle a bit of an oiling.
In spite of my levity, I'm serious. Plenty of masks on Amazon- for delivery end of May!

So pleased you picked up on this as home made masks IMO are going to give a lot of morale support and possibly help save lives. If anyone can sew and has the facilities please join in as unfortunately I think many are going to be very needed in the coming months. All you need is good quality cotton fabric, as a quilter our fabric is perfect, but in a crisis any good quality close threaded fabric should do so bedding should be in that category, 1/4" inch elastic, thread and any old sewing machine that can sew a straight line!

That's the spirit. Well said. Could you tell us how to make masks out of old sheets or pillow cases. I'll dust down the old "Singer" and give the treadle a bit of an oiling.
In spite of my levity, I'm serious. Plenty of masks on Amazon- for delivery end of May!

 

[MadChefUK]

BTW I do hope admin doesn't mind me posting this info here

 

[MyQul]

How does everyone else find being stuck at home? I have been working from home now for nearly 2 weeks. Apart from getting some fresh air or going for a run and the solitary shop I did.. It is hard not to get cabin fever..

As a key worker (community support worker) Im not really stuck at home. I work part time and cycle 15miles each way to work normally. Which is my main exercise/stress relief. I have five clients that I see every week and 3 of them have decided to self isolate. So my hours/schedule is now been quite restricted. Fortunately I am contracted (some of my colleagues arent and work as 'bank staff') and have a good employer who are paying me my full hours despite me not doing them.

When I get to work I usually travel between clients by bus (as I find cycling 30 miles per day PLUS cycling between clients too much). Travelling on public transport initally worried my a bit but I soon found that because I work in one of the richer boroughs of London that everyone has a car and the only people that travel by bus are pensioners and students (the borough I work in has a number of universities and colleges and has a large student population). These two groups for the most part dont have to work and are all staying indoors. So whenever I've gotten a bus there's usually only a couple of other people on it. Many times I've been the only person on the bus

 

[MyQul]

BTW I do hope admin doesn't mind me posting this info here

Absolutely we dont mind Crack on!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Some good news.

James Dyson designed a new ventilator in 10 days. He's making 15,000 for the pandemic fight

Good news but how much did you cringe when she chipped in with "And Rosemary it being Dyson maker of those fancy vacuum cleaners and hairdryers perhaps it'll be quite stylish" FFS we are talking saving peoples lives here

.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I would not want the job its like being a football referee.
No forum without them but so many different characters with different views and if you mod them some can not see why.
Good job most of us can give as much as we can take,
Its just the beer can get in the way sometimes and with that peoples views can become quite strong.
I try not to comment late night/early hours for that reason
Well done Chippy and all the mods, at this moment in time its a blessing that there are people to talk to albeit online - keeping me sane

Thanks, feedback much appreciated.

 

[MyQul]

Some good news.

James Dyson designed a new ventilator in 10 days. He's making 15,000 for the pandemic fight

The problem it they need to be approved and meet with regulatory requirements. Why didn't he just take an existing approved design and make loads of them? The cynic in my thinks it these are approved Dyson will be able to patent the design and make loads of money

 

[Chippy_Tea]

The problem it they need to be approved and meet with regulatory requirements. Why didn't he just take an existing approved design and make loads of them? The cynic in my thinks it these are approved Dyson will be able to patent the design and make loads of money

I have seen him in interviews seems a decent fellow lets see how decent he really is.

 

[MyQul]

I have seen him in interviews seems a decent fellow lets see how decent he really is.

Mmm. Not sure about that. During Brexit he was a prominent Brexiter talking up Britain and how well we'd do if we left the EU. Then promptly moved his HQ to Singapore

 

[MyQul]

Yesterday I mentioned MrsMQ told me all the supermarket in Central London are empty. The ones in the Hamlet are absolute carnage at the moment. So this morning I jumped on the whip in search of sustenance and supplies. I often cycle past a Sainsburys in Holborn so I decided to go there. There was a small queue of about three people and I was inside in about 3 minutes (compared to the absolutely massive queues I've seen outside supermarkets in some of the other London zones). They had everything I wanted and there was hardly anyone in there so I was easily able to social distance.

After I did the shopping I thought I go for a ride around Central London (it also turned into a ride around The City of London as well- for anyone that doesn't know the City of London is a separate borough, of about a square mile, in central London where a lot of the finance and banking is done. The Bank of England is situated in the City of London for example) as I'd been reading in the papers and seeing pictures that Central London was deserted. SE London where I live, people seem to be ignoring the lockdown and there's loads of people around. The park opposite where I live is heaving because its nice weather at the moment. So I thought I'd be fine going for a ride around a deserted city.

It was surreal. Normally central London is ALWAYS heaving with people no matter the time day or night. But there was hardly anyone about. Most of the people seemed to be either builders or the homeless. Normally homeless people seem to hide themselves away (although you do obviously see them about) perhaps in the hopes of not being persecuted? But they were all over the place doing things that I wouldn't normally see them doing in central london. Such as pitching tents on the pavement on the Embankment. It was almost as if they were saying, 'this city is now ours!'. It was like a zombie movie as many were meandering about aimlessly with no fear of being moved on or having to move out the way of tourists or workers.

One thing that struck me was that the places that normally have the most people (usually tourists) had the fewest. Oxford street (shopping mecca) was empty and Convent Garden and Leicester Square (I normally avoid these two place because of the sheer amount of tourists) were complete 'ghost towns'

We've heard on the news that police are stopping people, asking them where they're going and possibly handing out fines. Well the Metropolitan and City of London police certainly weren't. I was out cycling for a couple of hours and wasn't stopped or asked where I was going at all.

All in all a very strange but pleasant experience as I didnt have to avoid tourists/traffic like normal

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Mmm. Not sure about that. During Brexit he was a prominent Brexiter talking up Britain and how well we'd do if we left the EU. Then promptly moved his HQ to Singapore