A man who went into a hospital and stole an A&E receptionist’s handbag in the midst of the Covid-19 outbreak has been jailed for 31 weeks.

Wayne Harvey, 32, was charged with theft and assault by beating after an incident at the George Eliot Hospital in the early hours of Wednesday, Warwickshire Police said.

At about 5.40am, Harvey went into the Accident and Emergency department before stealing the handbag.

A security guard was then assaulted as he tried to stop the suspect, sustaining minor injuries to his arm.

Harvey, of no fixed address, appeared at Coventry Magistrates’ Court on Thursday where he admitted theft and assault, the court’s administrative staff said.

He was jailed for 17 weeks for assault and a further 14 weeks for the theft, to be served concurrently.

He was also ordered to pay a £149 victim surcharge.

The George Eliot Hospital, in Nuneaton, is among those on frontline of efforts in treating those who have contracted Covid-19.

In its latest statement on Sunday, the NHS hospital trust said two elderly patients with serious under-lying health conditions had died after testing positive for coronavirus.

To date, four patients at the hospital have died after contracting the disease.