A man has been sentenced to three months in jail for stealing surgical masks from a south London hospital as demand for personal protective equipment surges to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Lerun Hussain, 34, was detained by King’s College Hospital security staff after he stole three face masks on Sunday, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Hussain was arrested on suspicion of theft and also detained for being in breach of a court order. He was jailed for three months after pleading guilty to theft.