A Dundee sheriff has deferred sentence on a drug addict to see whether the accused has infected his assault victim with hepatitis C.
Drunk and drugged-up James Robb (28), Dee Gardens, had smeared blood over two council housing employees and a police officer, telling them: ”Have some of my Hepatitis C blood.”
One of the council employees was left with a scratch on his neck and faces an anxious wait to find out if he has been infected, Dundee Sheriff Court heard on Tuesday.
Robb, who had originally appeared on petition, pled guilty to four charges after the Crown reduced the case to a summary complaint.
He admitted that on April 9, at Red Admiral Court, having said he was infected with hepatitis C, he shouted and swore, wiped blood on a desk, blinds, a settee and a computer, and committed a breach of the peace.
He further admitted assaulting PC Nigel Green by smearing his blood on his hand and assaulting a man by wiping his blood on his body.
He further admitted assaulting another man by scratching him on the body and contaminating his clothing and skin with his blood.
Depute fiscal Isma Mukhtar told the court the two council employees were working at a housing unit in Red Admiral Court when they became aware that one of the residents had guests in, which was against the rules.
After ejecting the guests, one of whom was Robb, they became aware of a noise outside and saw Robb climbing up a drain pipe. They saw he was bleeding from his right hand and police were called and he became abusive after they prevented him from leaving.
”The accused grabbed the man by the neck and said: ‘There, get some of my hepatitis C’,” the fiscal said.
She told the court the victim had been scratched on his neck and blood was on his T-shirt.
Robb then wiped his hand on the injured man’s neck saying: ”Have some of my hepatitis C blood.”
The council employee had attended at Ninewells Hospital for checks but the results were not yet known, she said, while the other two victims did not require treatment.
Solicitor Gary McIlravey said his client had a long-standing drug problem but said there was no excuse for his ”despicable” behaviour.
He told the court Robb has been tested by the Drug Treatment and Testing Team and does not have hepatitis C.
Sheriff Richard Davidson told Robb: “To threaten housing employees and a police officer with infection, with them knowing that you are a drug addict, you placed them potentially in a state of terror, with a potentially life-threatening disease.”
He deferred sentence until May 15 for reports and to ascertain whether Robb, or the victim if he was prepared to divulge that information to the court, was indeed infected with hepatitis C.
“It makes all the difference in the world to the sentence,” he told Robb, adding that the victim would be in a state of “considerable concern.”
Robb was remanded in custody.