Tain man covered in blood spat at police officer in face, court told

Police who discovered a Tain man covered in blood were subjected to threats and insults with one officer getting spat at in the face.

Inverness Sheriff Court heard that police found 25-year-old Colin McLean in the town's Manse Street around midnight on May 18 this year and had cause to arrest him on another matter.

This prompted him to begin shouting, threatening to kill officers and one was spat at in the eye as he continued to shout.

Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald was told that McLean, of Stafford Street, was handcuffed and while he was being conveyed to Inverness's Burnett Road Police Station he made multiple threats to harm the police.

McLean admitted two charges of threatening or abusive behaviour and culpable and reckless conduct.

The PC victim of the spittle did not acquire any infections but had to have three monthly blood tests, the court heard.

Sheriff Macdonald sentenced McLean to 200 hours of unpaid community work, telling him: "This is an appalling way to behave against police officers who were only doing their job. It was dangerous as well."