A man who has been jailed for accosting Professor Sir Chris Whitty gave false information to the police - but was identified after commenting on the incident in a newspaper.
Jonathan Chew, 24, approached England’s chief medical officer as he walked through St James’s Park in Westminster on June 27 last year.
Footage of the incident, lasting around 20 seconds and showing Chew alongside former estate agent Lewis Hughes, was widely shared on social media.
Prosecutor Iestyn Morgan said that Chew started filming Prof Whitty on his phone while Hughes grabbed him in a headlock. Read more: Two men charged with murder of Salford student Aya Hachem In the footage, shown to Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, the pair can be seen jeering as Prof Whitty attempted to break free.
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