A thug who spat in the face of a police officer through the hatch of his custody cell has been jailed.
Anthony Elder, 29, of Honeygreen Road, Dundee, committed the offence as PC Alastair Ogilvie was outside the door of the cell speaking to him.
Fiscal depute Kate Irwin told the city’s sheriff court that Elder approached the hatch and spat through it.
He had been arrested after shoplifting in Morrisons — stealing 13 containers of coffee worth £46.84.
There was full recovery of the goods, the fiscal depute said.
Solicitor Douglas McConnell said Elder wanted to apologise to the officer and had written a letter to him saying sorry.
“He said himself he was disgusted by his behaviour,” Mr McConnell added.
“Alcohol is his problem and he appreciates he has to take the first step to address that.”
Sheriff Alastair Brown told Elder: “I was persuaded to give you the chance to address your alcohol problems.
“If all you had done was to steal 13 jars of coffee I would have continued to give you a chance.
“However, spitting on a police officer has crossed a line. I will not tolerate anyone assaulting police officers, who are only doing their jobs.”
Elder admitted committing the shoplifting offence at Morrisons Superstore, on Afton Way, Dundee, on May 26 while on bail.
He also admitted that at police HQ in Bell Street, on the same date, he assaulted PC Alastair Ogilvie by spitting on his face, also while on bail.
Elder also admitted that on May 10, at Iceland, in Wellgate, he stole a quantity of meat while he was on bail and on March 20, at Church Bar, Ward Road, he stole a purse and contents belonging to Callum Tenant.
Sheriff Brown told Elder that a custodial sentence was the only option open to him. He jailed Elder for two months each for the offences at Iceland and at Church Bar and for eight months on the assault charge, all to run consecutively to each other.
He also sentenced him to two months for the Morrisons shoplifting offence – however that jail term will run concurrently with his sentence for assault.
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