Police officer spat on while investigating crime scene in Inverness
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An accused has been jailed for five months after admitting assaulting a police officer in Springfield Gardens, Inverness
Inverness Sheriff Court heard that the officer was with a colleague taking photographs in the city street as part of an investigation on April 19 when they were approached by Jools Grant.
The 21-year-old, who lives in Springfield Gardens, entered into discussions with them and asked why they were taking pictures.
Depute fiscal Niall Macdonald told Sheriff Margaret Neilson that Grant had appeared intoxicated and was staggering.
Officers decided to arrest him, he said, and he then made an attempt to head butt one officer before spitting at him.
Grant admitted police assault and also pleaded guilty to a breach of a bail curfew by not being in his home address as required at the time of the offence.
Solicitor Clare Russell said Grant was unemployed and his mental health had suffered since the time of the incident.
"His recollection is it was plain clothes police who were taking pictures and he was not aware they were police officers," she said.
Sheriff Neilson said it appeared from background reports prepared for the case that Grant had told social workers it was a police officer's job to "be prepared for assault".
She said previous offender Grant had been given chance after chance by the court and told Ms Russell: "If he can't understand police do not deserve to be assaulted doing their job you have a very serious problem with your client."
She said custody was the only appropriate sentence.
