A man became angry and spat on a bus driver after he was told not to board because he was showing symptoms of coronavirus, a court has been told.

Aiden Wade Pike Morris, 21, targeted the driver, who was “merely doing his job”, on January 22 at the Noarlunga interchange, south of the Adelaide CBD.

The Adelaide Magistrates Court was told on Friday that Morris was “coughing heavily” when he tried to board the bus about 7.30am.

“The victim refused the defendant travel due to his employer’s COVID/sickness policy, which gives him the right to refuse travel if he suspects a person has signs or symptoms of sickness,” police prosecutor Cassandra Bamford said.

She said Morris became angry and entered the bus before coughing and twice spitting at the driver.

On one occasion, the court was told, his saliva landed on the victim’s face and glasses.

Morris then left the bus, walked around to the driver’s side window and threw a rock, causing the window to crack.

He handed himself into police earlier this month after a public plea for information on the attack was issued.

Morris, who was refused bail and has spent the last 17 days in custody, pleaded guilty to two counts of committing a prohibited act with human biological material and one count of property damage.