A man has been charged over a coronavirus-related 'prank' at a police station in Australia.
The unnamed man recorded the whole encounter, the video starting with the 21-year-old giving the middle finger to the Coffs Harbour Police Station.
Advert
As he's walking up to the entrance, the man said: "Got to report to these dogs every day."
The young bloke then films himself coughing several times before going to the counter, where he addresses a 71-year-old officer.
"I just got to report, I'm sorry, I've been tested positive for that coronavirus," the bloke says in the footage.
The female general station officer asked if the man was serious and he can be heard saying he's tested positive for Covid-19 and was on his way back home from the hospital.
The police dealing with the matter took the man's account as serious and decided to lockdown the station to ensure no one else could be potentially infected.
Advert
NSW Police have released a statement, saying: "Police will allege in court that the man deliberately coughed on the woman and claimed he had COVID-19, while a friend filmed the incident.
"While inquiries were being made regarding the man's claims, the police station was closed, and the necessary isolation protocols were put in place.
"Upon further inquiries, it was revealed the man did not have the virus."
The man's social media video showed the station was shut down during the ordeal, however things quickly went from bad to worse for the prankster.
Advert
His friend continued to film the interaction with police, where officers explained he was being put under arrest.
The bloke's mate seems gobsmacked that a person accused of being out in public and pretending to have coronavirus would be arrested for an offence.
The 21-year-old has been charged with talk/intimidate intend fear physical harm, and resist or hinder police officer in the execution of duty.
He's been granted strict conditional bail and will appear in Coffs Harbour Local Court on Wednesday, May 6.
During the coronavirus pandemic people have been seen and heard loudly coughing in public as a joke, which isn't amusing or funny.
Advert
More than 417,000 people have been infected with the virus and more than 18,000 have lost their lives because of it.
Families have been torn apart and whole countries like Italy, India, France, Spain and New Zealand have been sent into lockdown, causing scores of people to lose their livelihoods and jobs.
Topics: News, Coronavirus, Australia