Mark Manley, 35, has been jailed for six months (Picture: PA)

A man has been jailed for stealing protective kit that could save the lives of NHS workers treating coronavirus patients.

Mark Manley, 35, stole the vital personal protective equipment (PPE) from an ambulance while hospital workers struggle to get any during a nationwide shortage. He went on to assault a security guard when challenged over the theft.

He was jailed for six months at Croydon Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to the offences, the Metropolitan Police said.

Officers said they were called at 9.19pm on Saturday to reports of a male having stolen from an ambulance at St Thomas Street, south-east London.


He admitted the theft and assaulting a security guard (Picture: Met Police)

When challenged by security staff, police said the suspect assaulted one security worker and racially abused another.



He had taken a bag containing PPE from the vehicle, police said.

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Items taken included masks, paper suits and hand gel, with some of the items rendered no longer usable due to contamination.

The man was detained by the security guards and patrolling British Transport Police.

Police said he was arrested on suspicion of theft, actual bodily harm and a racially-aggravated public order offence.

Doctors and nurses are facing a ‘life-threatening’ shortage of PPE while they treat coronavirus patients (Picture: PA)

He was taken to a south London police station where he was charged with theft from a motor vehicle, a section 4 Public Order Act offence (causing fear or provocation of violence) and a racially aggravated Public Order Act offence.

Manley was jailed at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Monday, according to Scotland Yard.

Police said he was also charged with assault against an emergency worker in relation to the security guard, who sustained facial injuries which were not life-threatening.

Earlier this week, the British Medical Association said health workers treating Covid-19 patients faced ‘life-threatening’ shortages of PPE.

Despite assurances that more face masks and gloves will be delivered to NHS Trusts, doctors and nurses still ‘face the daunting prospect of having to consider treating patients without adequate protection’ the BMA said.

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