A man who assaulted England’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty has been jailed for eight weeks.
Lewis Hughes, 24, was told the sentence would be suspended for two years.
He was also fined £100.
Hughes, from Romford, East London, pleaded guilty to attacking Prof Whitty in a London park.
The incident was filmed on a mobile phone and later posted on social media.
Two men could be seen with Prof Whitty who was struggling to free himself from their grip.
Hughes told Westminster Magistrates’ Court he was “unreservedly apologetic for the distress caused by ten seconds of complete and utter madness”.
Judge Paul Goldspring said:
“He (Prof Whitty) goes about his very difficult job without the expectation [of] yobs like you accosting him, assaulting him and then to compound it all, he is further humiliated by the video posted.
“I recognise that you did not post it on the internet”.
Kalsoom Shah, from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said Hughes showed “little regard” for Prof Whitty or social distancing rules “when he accosted the government’s chief medical officer in the street”.
She added: “His behaviour was both shocking and disgraceful.”
Laurie-Anne Power, for Hughes, told the court her client had recognised Prof Whitty wanted a selfie for his mum.
Jonathan Chew, 24, from Chelmsford, Essex, denied the same charge of assault by battery.
He was granted bail until November 23rd when his case will be heard at the same court.
