Woman jailed for seven months for spitting in shop worker’s face

A WOMAN who spat in a shop worker’s face and told him she had Covid-19 has been jailed for seven months.

Nikita Ronan (24) spat on the man and made the threat after hurling abuse at him in a Dublin city centre convenience store.

Judge Paula Murphy sentenced her to three months for the assault, with further consecutive sentences for other charges after she pleaded guilty.

Ronan, of no fixed address, admitted assault and threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour at Spar, on Dame Street, in Dublin, on April 5.

Dublin District Court heard gardaí were called to the shop after 9pm and security staff said Ronan had been asked to leave but refused and became abusive. She spat at a staff member and said: “I’ll give you the virus, I have Covid-19.”

The spittle landed on the man’s face. Gardaí viewed CCTV and arrested her nearby.

Ronan also admitted other separate offences. Last July 16, she was involved in a brawl with others at Meeting House Square in Temple Bar.

She was arrested for trespassing at a car park on Francis Street last February 18.

There were regular complaints of trespassers, and members of the public were afraid to use the stairwell. She also trespassed at an underground car park on Augustine Street, Dublin 8, on February 26. The accused had 59 previous convictions between 2016 and 2019, most of which were for motoring offences or theft, the court was told.

Ronan had a good upbringing, but things took a “turn for the worse” and she became homeless, was abusing drugs and drink and turned to crime to feed her habits, the court was told.

‘I’ll give you the virus, I have Covid’