In court for coughing

Wednesday 01 April 2020

A Newton hearing will determine what happened, after a man was accused of purposely coughing in the face of a shop assistant during the corona virus pandemic.

26-year-old Christoper Carter appeared before Guernsey's Magistrate on Monday, where he admitted the offence but said it was not intentional.

The Crown Advocate, did not accept that so a Newton hearing will be held to establish what the facts of the case are.

A Newton hearing is where a Judge sits to hear the facts of a case presented by both the Crown Advocate and a Defence Lawyer, and the Judge then decides the basis on which the defendant is sentenced.

So far, all the court has heard is that the offence took place at a Pharmacy, during the current lockdown period, which was imposed after community seeding of covid-19 had been detected.

Mr Carter has been remanded in custody until 15 April when the Newton hearing will take place before the Magistrate.