A prisoner who verbally abused a depute fiscal before spitting at her during a court hearing has been sentenced to extra jail time.
The court heard Paul Patrick Foy swore at Susan Ruta, calling her a “******* specky b****, you ******* mink” and “a ******* liar” before putting his head back and forcibly spitting towards her at the sheriff court on August 1.
Foy admitted assaulting Ms Ruta during the petition hearing before Sheriff George Way, who described his actions as: “Certainly the most violent outburst he had witnessed in open court”.
He also admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear and alarm, while the court was in session, shouting, swearing, making abusive comments towards the depute fiscal, struggling with PC Gwen Louden and G4S custody officers Dean MacDonald and Marian Esposito, and uttering threats of violence towards Mr MacDonald.
The court heard Foy, 26, a prisoner at Perth, had previously served prison sentences for assault and robbery, assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement and possession of a blade.
Depute fiscal Donna Brown told the court that on August 1 Foy was handcuffed to Mr MacDonald.
When Sheriff Way refused bail, Foy became angry and shouted in court.
PC Louden told Mr MacDonald to take him to the cells, but Foy began to struggle.
Mrs Brown said after shouting the abusive comments towards Ms Ruta, he spat towards her. It did not make contact and landed on the floor.
Sheriff Drummond jailed Foy for four months and 80 days, telling him the “awful assault on a procurator fiscal, shouting and swearing and struggling with officers” was “disgraceful”.