WHITTY YOB
A YOB who attacked Sir Chris Whitty in a park has been jailed for eight weeks - and chanted a football song as he was taken to the cells.
Jonathan Chew, 24, admitted he drunkenly accosted England's chief medical officer in St James’ Park in June last year, during the peak of the pandemic.
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Chew today pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates Court to one count of intention to cause harassment, alarm or distress to Sir Chris, and obstructing a policer officer.
He has been sentenced to eight weeks in jail for the public order offence, and two weeks concurrently for obstucting an officer.
Chew also crossed his arms in front of his chest and started singing: "I'm West Ham 'till I die, I'm West Ham 'till I die."
Footage of Chew, along with his pal Lewis Hughes, shot on a mobile phone shows the pair surrounding Whitty as they shout “oi oi” and ask him for a photograph.
Estate agent Hughes has already admitted assault over the incident, having put Sir Chris in a headlock, and was handed a suspended prison sentence.
Hughes claimed he just wanted to take a "selfie" with the medic so he could show his mum.
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Prof Whitty said he did not want to make a formal complaint after the incident.
Westminster Magistrates Court was shown CCTV footage of the two men as they walked towards the park and came across Sir Chris in a “chance encounter”.
Prosecutor Lestyn Morgan told the court: “Professor Whitty saw two people approaching him, Lewis Hughes asked for a photo.
“Professor Whitty replied ‘no’ as he always does in these circumstances. Lewis Hughes placed his arm around Professor Whitty, and this defendant, Jonathan Chew, stepped in front of Professor Whitty.
“He was filming the matter on a camera, and Professor Whitty noted the smell of alcohol on the two men.
“Professor Whitty tried pushing through them to the safety of what he saw nearby, being a number of police constables.”
As he was being sentenced Chew began to fidget in the dock, pulling his t-shirt over his mouth and stretching his back, and began vaping.
Judge Goldspring asked: “Are you smoking?' Chew replied: 'Am I not allowed to vape in here?'
The judge said Professor Whitty responded to the pandemic “with great dignity, great professionalism and with no desire to be in the public eye”.
He continued: “There has to be an element of deterrent to stop people from targeting those who don't choose to be in the public eye.
“Your offending in my view very clearly crosses the custody threshold. You targeted him in the sense that you recognised him from the TV and that's why you approached him.
“I'm afraid, Mr Chew, your behaviour doesn't give me any confidence that your remorse is genuine."
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Chew was also ordered £930 in costs as well as £128 victim surcharge and said from the dock: “That's peanuts. Make it more.”
Judge Goldspring said Chew's response to the proceedings has been “breathtaking”, to which Chew said: “I agree”.
“That might be the only thing we agree on” the judge quipped.
'DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG'
The pair were at an anti-lockdown protest in central London on Sunday when they spotted the top medic.
Shocking footage then showed them putting Prof Whitty in a headlock as he desperately tried to get away.
Officers were able to track down Chew after he told The Sun that he wanted Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologise to him.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson branded the pair as “despicable thugs” shortly after the incident took place.
At the time he said: “I don’t think we did anything wrong, we just saw him, and thought that’s the guy from the TV. He’s been on our screens every-day for the last year, he’s famous.
“We just wanted a selfie that was it, I don’t think he wanted to take the photo but I don’t think we did anything wrong.
“People in the street recognised me and have been having a go since the video has gone online. It has affected my mental health.”
Initially Chew gave his brother’s name and address, which the court heard caused a “waste” of police time and resources.
He has a catalogue of previous offences, committed under 17 different aliases, and including public order and offences against the person.
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Chew was on licence at the time of the incident, from a 42-month prison sentence for intimidating a juror with intent to pervert the course of justice.
Chew previously appeared in court via video link topless, with his lawyer quitting for “professional reasons”.
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