Teenager cautioned over Cameron 'sneeze' incident (From The Argus)

Teenager cautioned over Cameron 'sneeze' incident

6:07pm Wednesday 16th April 2008 in Search By Andy Whelan

A teenage boy was given a caution for sneezing and wiping his hand down David Cameron's back as the Tory leader made a public appearance in a town centre.

Kingsley Cardi, 15, of St Leonards, was given the police caution - complete with a slip which worded the reason for the caution as 'Anti-social behaviour towards David Cameron, namely sneezing in your hand and wiping snot down the back of his jacket'.

The teenager had sneezed into his hand, ran up to Cameron then struck before running off saying 'Oh sorry' outside the Priory Meadow shopping centre in Hastings at around 3pm today.

But within seconds of the GCSE student committing the offence a nearby PCSO collared him and told him: "You are going to go and apologise to Mr Cameron. I don't care if he is Tory leader or what - you are going to apologise to him."

The PCSO then whipped out a pad and completed an Anti Social Behaviour Intervention form - effectively a police caution.

The caution reads: "Anti-social behaviour towards David Cameron, namely sneezing in your hand and wiping snot down the back of his jacket."

Speaking after his caution Kingsley, who was wearing a red checked shirt and grey t-shirt, said: "I sneezed in my hand and wiped it on him. It was just a joke - I was showing off.

"To be honest I just needed to sneeze and I didn't have a hanky."

The teenager added: "They asked me to apologise to David Cameron, but in the end his security would not let me near him again."

Asked whether he would be voting Tory when he turned 18, Kingsley said: "No way. Green Party all the way."

Speaking after the incident Mr Cameron said: "It's just one of the joys of my job. I'm sure I will be fine."

Mr Cameron was doing a walkabout to rouse support for the Conservatives at the upcoming local elections.

Political commentators have predicted the Tories could win control of Hastings Borough Council at the upcoming local elections.

Mr Cameron spent around half-an-hour in Hastings town centre, during which he bought a pot of jellied eels and a packet of lemon bon-bons, before heading back to London.