INVERNESS SHERIFF COURT: Man told police he had Covid and coughed at officers
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A MAN coughed at police officers after telling them he had Covid-19.
Lawrence Mutasa (42) turned up drunk at Burnett Road police station in Inverness and tried to get in despite the doors being locked under safety protocols on January 18 last year.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard Mutasa, originally from Glasgow, had been in a relationship with a woman in Inverness and police had repeatedly turned up at her door looking for him in connection with another matter.
After a night of drinking he turned up at the police station at 7.25am to try and resolve the matter.
After eventually being let in he quickly became abusive.
Fiscal depute Pauline Gair said when asked for personal details he started shouting and swearing.
He repeatedly said “no comment”, swor at the person in reception and said he was a “hard man”.
Ms Gair said: “He disclosed that he had Covid and that the NHS had told him to isolate.”
He then deliberately coughed at two police constables which, under the then rules, meant they had to put on full PPE.
Mutasa appeared at the court via videolink from HMP Inverness and admitted threatening and abusive behaviour, culpable and reckless conduct and a failure to appear at a court trial diet.
Solicitor Willie Young said his client had tried to phone the officer about the other matter repeatedly but had been told he was not available.
He said Mutasa’s behaviour was borne out of “alcohol and frustration”.
Sheriff Sara Matheson sentenced him to eight months in prison, backdated to when he was first remanded in August.
