Yob cries as he’s jailed for spitting at cop and security guard while shouting ‘I’ve got the coronavirus’
A YOB cried in court as he was jailed for 13 months for spitting at a cop and a security guard while shouting “I’ve got the coronavirus”.
Jamie McAdam, 31, spat in the guard’s eye before attempting to spit at a PC ‘s face saying: “I’ve know I’ve got it – I’ve been to hospital.”
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Both men had been trying to help McAdam after he deliberately lay down in a busy Manchester street following a temper tantrum outside a hotel where he had been staying during the lockdown.
During his meltdown he said: ”’I have the coronavirus. I’ve been diagnosed with it and I’m going to give it to you next. Watch it!”
He later soiled a police van and then a cell where he was subsequently detained.
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.”
The cop said he had a six-year-old daughter and had been fearful he could pass the virus onto her.
He added: “This has had a huge impact on me and my family.”
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
PC Gary Riley-Owens
The security guard Liam Gray and father-of-three, 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.”
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 not thought he has the virus.
The incident occurred on March 27 after McAdam returned back to his hotel at 1.30pm after a boozy session.
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.”
‘DO I GIVE A F**K?’
He was yelling while walking around the hotel when he was approached by the security guard and then became aggressive and abusive.
He then walked outside and threw himself into the middle of the road and became abusive to the drivers.
When he was handcuffed by one of the attending officers, he went on: ”Do I give a f**k? I’m going to give it you next. Watch it.”
Mr Howie said: “He was headbutting the police van and making further threats then urinated himself to make the task of searching him more unpleasant for the officers.
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: ”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.”
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Sentencing Judge Suzanne Goddard QC asked the court to make inquiries as to whether McAdam’s family had in fact fallen ill to Coronavirus.
Tough new laws were introduced in March saying anyone making threats of coronavirus infection would face serious criminal charges.
The CPS said such behaviour could constitute common assault.
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