A Dundee man who went berserk in a police van in Angus has been sent to detention for four months.
David Simon Melvin (20), of Glenmoy Avenue, Dundee, claimed to be infected with Aids and hepatitis C and threatened to spit on police if they didn’t remove him from the van.
Having already kicked one female PC and racially abused her colleague, he then made threats throughout the journey, spat on the cell door and then threatened to shoot the arresting officers.
He spat at another police officer when he was eventually removed from the van.
After admitting five charges, his agent Nick Markowski said: ”He knows this behaviour was unacceptable and his liberty is at risk. Mr Melvin has asked me to apologise to the court, the police involved and the shop workers for his actions.”
Things kicked off after Melvin turned up at the Mayfield Foodstore in Arbroath, despite being banned from the shop.
Depute fiscal Arlene Shaw said staff told him he was not welcome but he refused to leave. A scuffle ensued and Melvin began knocking items from the shelves before police were called.
Melvin resisted arrest and began lashing out and kicked a female PC on the body. He shouted, swore and made a racist remark to an Asian police officer.
He was put in a cell in the back of a police van to be taken to Arbroath Police Office and continued to behave in a threatening manner.
Ms Shaw said: ”He was continually abusive in the police van and threatened to spit on the officers if they didn’t remove him. He repeatedly claimed he was infected with HIV and hepatitis C and was spitting on the cell door.”
She said Melvin also threatened to shoot police who were transporting him and mimicked pulling the trigger of a gun. When he was removed from the cell he spat towards officers, narrowly missing.
Mr Markowski said his client was remorseful and asked Sheriff Peter Paterson to impose a non-custodial sentence.
However, the sheriff said he took a dim view of the incident and imposed a period of detention of four months.
He told Melvin: ”Spitting at police officers is completely unacceptable.”