Pleads not guilty to biting officer

A Wishaw man this week denied repeatedly biting a police officer on the body at Hamilton Police Office and exposing him to Hepatitis C.

John Warren, of Caledonian Road had pleaded not guilty to a charge of culpable and reckless conduct at the office last Friday, July 27, knowing he was the carrier of the virus and exposing constable Colin Dick to the risk of injury and infection.

The 48-year-old also denied a charge of assaulting constable Dick at Hamilton police office on the same date by striking him on the head and biting him on the body.

Warren further pleaded not guilty to a threatening and abusive behaviour charge which alleges that he had attended at the home address of his former partner Nicola Hamilton in Hamilton’s Queen Street last Friday where he had shouted, swore and acted in an aggressive manner.

He also faced charges of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner at Union Street in Hamilton last Friday, and during the course of a journey from there and Hamilton Police Office, by repeatedly uttering threats of violence and making offensive remarks towards police officers.

A fifth charge alleged that Warren had resisted constable Dick by striking his forehead off the rearside window of a police vehicle, struggled violently, tensed his body and writhed about within the vehicle.

It also stated when Warren was told he was being transferred to Motherwell Police Office he had refused enter the police vehicle, alleging that he had used his feet to prevent officers from putting him inside the vehicle, refused to sit up and had struggled violently.

All of the charges alleged the offences occurred while Warren was on bail on two separate matters.

At Hamilton Sheriff Court, Sheriff Marie Smart set the trial for July 1 with an intermediate diet of June 20.

She refused Warren bail and remanded him in custody until his next court appearance.