Thug jailed after spitting on officer

A REVOLTING thug repeatedly spat in the face of a police officer during a Valium-charged rampage – hours after being released from prison.

Repeat offender Scott Lowden, who has almost 80 previous convictions, is back behind bars after pleading guilty to targeting police on July 31 on Fairbairn Street, where he resides.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard officers had been called out to arrest Lowden and a woman after reports that they were seen smashing windows in the street.

His “unacceptable” conduct was slammed by Sheriff Alastair Carmichael who sentenced Lowden to eight months in prison.

The offence was committed on the day Lowden was released from prison after serving two months of a four-month sentence he received for attacking an employee at Tesco Express on Strathmartine Road.

At around 5.40pm on July 31, officers entered a common close before seeing Lowden lying apparently unresponsive in a garden area.

They managed to rouse the visibly intoxicated Lowden, 34, who proceeded to call the police “junkies” and “beasts”.

“He was placed in handcuffs but continued to shout and swear,” fiscal depute Michael Dunlop told the court.

“The accused attempted to kick out to try to strike various police officers. When in the police van, he appeared to be asleep and was awoken.

“After arriving at police headquarters, he then spat in the face of one of the officers who was wearing a face mask.”

The court heard Lowden then spat on the officer a second time.

Lowden pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner on Fairbairn Street and on a journey to police headquarters on West Bell Street by shouting, swearing, making derogatory comments, kicking and striking the inside of the police vehicle and spitting on the floor.

On Fairbairn Street, Lowden admitted trying to kick PC Richard Scott on the body before repeatedly spitting on him while at police headquarters.

Before jailing Lowden, Sheriff Carmichael said: “These are police officers, they do not need that, they do not deserve that.

“At a time when coronavirus is going around, it’s even worse and it’s simply unacceptable.”

Scott Lowden has almost 80 convictions.