A man who spat at police officers and claimed he had HIV before wishing the disease on them and their children has been jailed at Dundee Sheriff Court.
Charles Gibson, 32, of Abercromby Street, Broughty Ferry, admitted stealing a quantity of steak worth £70 at Co-op, Campfield Square, on April 28,
He also admitted that he assaulted PCs Connor McLaren and Matthew Rhind by attempting to spit on them at Police HQ in Bell Street on the same date.
He further admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear or alarm by shouting and swearing and informing both officers that he had HIV and he wanted them and their children to contract the disease.
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael sentenced Gibson to 11 months in prison.
Kat Smithson, Director of Policy and Campaigns at NAT (National AIDS Trust) said: “No officer should face assaults like this while serving the public, but anyone who has been in a situation like this should be reassured that spitting is not an HIV risk.
“In the history of the epidemic, there has never been a case of HIV being passed on through spitting, even when the spit contains blood.
“It’s worrying that the proportion of people who wrongly think HIV can be transmitted by spitting or biting has increased in recent years.”
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