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TWO people have been arrested and charged with alleged coronavirus-related offences in Clydebank.

One woman allegedly coughed in the face of a police officer and, in a separate case, a man reportedly claimed to have Covid-19 in a bid to prevent his arrest.

Clydebank’s MSP, Gil Paterson, said this type of “deplorable” anti-social behaviour needs to stop.

He added: “The police are very much on the frontline, along with our other vital emergency services.

“Instances of their time being wasted in attending incidents of reports like these are not on and must stop.

“The police are, in most cases, the first people we turn to, no matter the emergency.

“We are now in this major emergency of something we have never experienced before or had to deal with, and we need the police to be there for us without having this deplorable anti-social behaviour on top to attend to.”

The large majority of Bankies have been playing their part in helping to stop the spread of the coronavirus while the nation is on lockdown.

But on March 23, at 5.30pm, a 37-year-old woman was arrested after she was reportedly drunk while in charge of a child under the age of 10.

She allegedly started shouting, swearing and making abusive comments to cops on Dumbarton’s High Street. She was taken to Clydebank police station where she reportedly coughed on an officer.

The woman will appear in court charged with being under the influence whilst in charge of a child, breach of the peace, and culpable and reckless conduct amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, a 32-year-old man allegedly pretended to have Covid-19 in order to prevent him from being arrested for another matter.

Police officers attended at a property in Second Avenue at 2.30pm last Friday, March 27.

After the man reportedly stated he had Covid-19 symptoms, other trained officers were asked to attend.

Arrangements were made to convey the man to a police station, but he then told officers he did not have symptoms of the condition.

The man is the subject of a report to the procurator fiscal for allegedly attempting to pervert the course of justice.

David Hamilton, chair of the Scottish Police Federation, hit out at the “sickening” behaviour against cops.

He said: “Police officers are now joining health professionals on the frontline of this crisis as we try to keep people safe.

“It is sickening then that people resort to this kind of behaviour against those that are trying to protect society.

“This reckless conduct threatens the safety of not just those officers, but their families too.

“Anyone found to be trying to deliberately spread this deadly virus needs to be punished severely and a clear message sent out that society will not tolerate such attacks on its police officers.”

Elsewhere, in Glasgow, a video of a women deliberately coughing on passers-by on Allison Street, Govanhill, went viral.

Reports such as this would potentially be considered as reckless conduct – and that’s what the woman who was allegedly coughing at Clydebank police station has been charged with.

Culpable and reckless conduct is deliberate conduct that exposes an individual, or the public generally, to significant risk to life or health.

Last Friday, officers were given powers to fine members of the public who refuse to stay at home or are outside without a “reasonable excuse”.

Over the weekend, officers issued 25 penalty notices nationally.

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Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham said: “We’ve had high visibility patrols in place right across the country since we were given these enforcement powers.

“But it’s clear that the vast majority of people are complying with the measures. They know the message is to stay at home, and by and large, they’re doing that.”