Mr Blakely, 69, a sheriff in the US state of Alabama, is accused of stealing campaign donations, using his job to obtain interest-free loans and soliciting money from employees.

After securing a delay to the trial, lawyers for Mr Blakely admitted at a subsequent hearing that he was not tested for COVID-19 after all, The News Courier of Athens reports.

Judge Pride Tompkins told the defence team: “I don’t know what your tactic is, but it’s condemned by the court and the court won’t tolerate it.”

Defence attorney Robert Tuten insisted he had not sought to lie to the court and was mistaken about his client’s health.

Mr Blakeley was hospitalised for respiratory issues not linked to coronavirus and “all we had to go on was what we knew at that moment”, he said.