Dingwall man spat burger in police officer's face during arrest Inverness Sheriff Court is told
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A police constable got burger spat in her face as she arrested a man for causing a disturbance outside his parents' home.
Officers had been called to Brown Square on August 2 to deal with 28-year-old Shaun MacLeod who had been living there.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told they were confronted with a torrent of abuse from MacLeod who was heavily affected by alcohol or other substances.
Fiscal depute Martina Eastwood said that he was repeatedly warned about his behaviour but he continued with his aggression and had to be handcuffed.
"He then spat over his shoulder at the police constable," Ms Eastwood added.
The prosecutor added that, while being taken to Burnett Road Police Station in Inverness, MacLeod shouted to the officers: "God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve" and other offensive and obscene homophobic remarks.
MacLeod admitted threatening behaviour and assault charges.
His defence solicitor Clare Russell asked Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald to afford her client a full third discount on his sentence to take account of an early plea, although the case had been running for some time.
She explained that an offer to plead guilty had been made "at a very early stage" but after initial responses from senior fiscal Alison Young, Ms Russell told Sheriff Macdonald that her firm did not receive a final response to confirm whether or not the plea was acceptable.
The lawyer added: "He is extremely apologetic and recognises his behaviour was unacceptable. He struggles with alcohol and drug abuse and has little recollection of events.
"Not that it makes much difference, but he had been eating a burger at the time of his arrest and spat it at the officer."
Jailing MacLeod for 10 months, the sheriff agreed to reduce it from 15 months after hearing from Ms Russell.
She also told MacLeod, who appeared by video link, that on his release, which would be shortly, she hoped he would continue with the help given by the mental health team in prison to deal with his problems.
