Coronavirus: Boy spits in carer's face and tells her 'you've got corona'

Victim believes she was targeted because she was dressed for work at a nursing home

The victim was wearing her nursing home uniform as she entered the park from Verity Crescent in Canford Heath, Poole (Google)

A nursing home worker was knocked to the ground, kicked and spat on by a teenager who told her “you have got corona”.

The woman, who has not been identified by police, believes she was deliberately targeted because she was wearing her staff uniform.

Officers described the incident in a park in Poole, Dorset, as a “truly despicable assault” and appealed for help identifying the attacker.

Dorset Police said the victim had been walking through Sherborn open space in Canford Heath at around 1pm on Friday.

She was approached by two male teenagers on bikes and hit on the head with something believed to be a bag. The blow knocked her to the ground.

One of the youths, aged between 16 to 18, then kicked her in the back several times and spat in her face before saying “you have got corona”.

The other boy told him to stop as he carried out the attack, according to the police statement describing the incident.

Police community support investigator Chris Hardy said: “This was a truly despicable assault and the victim believes she was targeted because she was dressed for her work at a nursing home.

“We are committed to supporting those who are helping our communities at this difficult time. We are determined to identify those involved and are carrying out a detailed investigation into the incident.

“I am appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who may have any information about the identity of the offender, to please contact police.”

The attacker is described as having pale skin and possibly light brown hair, wearing a grey tracksuit with the hood up and carrying a blue bag. He was riding a blue bike.​

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police via their website, calling 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.