Coronavirus con: Man who deceived police to escape custody ends up in jail

By Park Si-soo

A man in his 50s was jailed for pretending to have coronavirus in an effort to be freed from police custody over a minor violation.

Judge Jang Myung of Incheon District Court recently sentenced him to a year in prison, stating the man had “obstructed the authorized functions of the police force and state law and order” for which he deserved “stern punishment.”

The incident happened in early March when the nation was plagued by the rapid spread of coronavirus.

The man was behind bars for a violence case involving a taxi driver and a police officer.

While in custody, he asked a police officer to come closer because he had something to say. When the officer was within arm's reach, the man spat at his face three times and said “I've contracted coronavirus.”

His revelation immediately threw the police station into chaos ― the building was locked down, the affected officer was taken to hospital for a virus test and other officers and people in the station were quarantined.

The man was also taken to hospital for a virus test. But the “coronavirus” uproar lasted no longer than a day because he tested negative.

“The nature of his act was very bad given his motivation (behind it) and what he actually did,” the judge said.