Man who spat at police claiming to have Covid-19 weeps as he is jailed

A man who repeatedly spat at police and a security guard yelling ‘I’ve got coronavirus – I hope you die’ has been jailed for 13 months.

Jamie McAdam, 31, wept as he was sent to prison for the drunken tirade when he claimed: ‘I’ve know I’ve got it – I’ve been to hospital.’

He later soiled a police van and then a cell where he was detained.

Security and police had tried to subdue McAdam after he lay down in a busy road outside a hotel where he had been staying during the lockdown.

In a statement PC Gary Riley-Owens said: ‘I expect there to be risks in the job however it is completely vile and disgusting for someone to spit at me and relish in the fact he has the coronavirus.

‘I take all the precautions I can to keep safe and this was quite wrong. I have a six year old daughter and whilst I’m confident I don’t have the virus I am fearful of hugging her at home for fear of passing it onto her.

‘All I wanted to do was get as far away from him as possible but I know I have no choice other than to carry out my duty as professionally as I can. This has had a huge impact on me and my family.’

Security guard and father of three Mr Gray told police: ‘Whilst I am young and fit I live with my mother who suffers from COPD and who is vulnerable. It’s disgusting that someone can spit in my face and hope I would catch the virus. I was overwhelmed by the experience.’

At Manchester Crown Court, McAdam admitted common assault and assaulting an emergency worker plus criminal damage to a cell at Cheadle Police Station. It is is not thought he had the virus although he says his sister has died from the illness.

The incident occurred on March 27 after McAdam returned back to his hotel at 1.30pm after drinking.

Prosecuting Gavin Howie said: ‘A manager heard screaming and shouting and the defendant was heard to say he wanted to slit his wrists and that his sister was intensive care and his mother had died of the Covid-19 virus.

‘He was walking around the hotel shouting before Mr Gray approached and tried to calm him down.

He was moved away but he walked outside and threw himself into the middle of the road causing traffic to come to a standstill. He was abusive towards drivers and a 999 call was made.

‘Mr Gray went to pick up Mr McAdam to prevent him from injuring himself but the defendant told him he had the Coronavirus and spat in his face with the saliva going into his left eye.

Police attended the scene but McAdam told the officers: ‘I hope you die.’

When he was handcuffed by one of the officers, he went on: ‘Do I give a f***? I’m going to give it you next.’

Officers wearing spit hoods escorted McAdam from the police van which required a deep clean as he urinated and continued to spit.

Inquiries revealed he has 39 previous offences on his record including ten for assault and two convictions for assaulting police officers.

In mitigation defence counsel Howard Bernstein said: ‘He is sorry for behaving this way. Although he was lashing out and saying he had Covid-19 he wasn’t and hasn’t displayed any symptoms.

‘At the time he had received a call from his mother saying his sister had died but he doesn’t recall what happened after that.’

Sentencing, Judge Suzanne Goddard QC asked the court to make inquiries as to whether McAdam’s family had in fact fallen ill to Coronavirus.

She told McAdam: “It’s difficult to think of a more appalling and disgusting way to behave as you did during the midst of this coronavirus crisis.

‘You were out of control and you did everything you could to make those involved with you believe that you were infected with the virus and that your intention was to infect them.

‘Had you in fact had the virus you would have been facing more serious charges and I would have sent you to prison for a much longer period. Your behaviour was absolutely disgusting and frightening for those involved.’

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