A man hit a takeaway worker over the head with an umbrella 'for bringing coronavirus' then threatened to burn his shop in Huntingdon.

Tristram Johnson, 41, of no fixed abode, threw a large rock through the window of the shop during the incident in High Street on March 28.

He hit the takeaway worker over the head with an umbrella telling him ‘that’s for bringing the coronavirus’.

Johnson then told him he would ‘come back and burn your shop next’ before shattering the window with a rock.

He was arrested a short while later and while in his custody cell he smeared excrement over the walls and smashed a police mobile phone.

At Huntingdon Crown Court yesterday (February 22) Johnson was sentenced for racist coronavirus assault and criminal damage for 10 months suspended for two years.

He must also pay £500 compensation after previously pleading guilty to racially aggravated common assault, racially aggravated criminal damage and criminal damage.

Detective Constable Louise Trippett said: “These were unprovoked attacks on innocent members of our community. There is no place in our county for this kind of behaviour.”