Man ‘spat drugs at police officer’

A MAN has appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court accused of spitting blood-covered drugs into the mouth of a police officer, knowing he had hepatitis C.

Scott Ross is alleged to have refused to spit out etizolam tablets he had placed in his mouth and instead chewed them up.

He is then accused of assaulting the female police officer by spitting in her face, knowing he had an open wound and knowing he had the infectious disease.

Ross, 37, of Court Street North, made a brief appearance in private at the court before Sheriff Lorna Drummond, accused of five charges involving the Class C drug along with possessing heroin.

Prosecutors allege that on September 12 last year, on High Street in Lochee, Ross intentionally obstructed PC Kirsty Hawkes and another officer, then in the exercise of their powers under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, and placed a quantity of etizolam tablets in his mouth, refused to spit out the tablets when instructed to do so by the officers and then began to chew them, while he was subject to a bail order.

Ross is f urther accused of, on the same date at the same place, culpably and recklessly placing a quantity of the etizolam tablets into his mouth and chewing on them, knowing that he had been diagnosed with hepatitis C and had an open wound in his mouth.

Prosecutors say he then spat out the contents of his mouth and PC Hawkes was struck on the face by a combination of the drug and his blood which she inhaled into her mouth and nasal passage, to the danger of her injury, while he was on the bail order.

Ross is further accused of, on the same date and at the same place, possessing etizolam with intent to supply it to another or others, while he was on bail and again on the same date possessing heroin, while on the same bail order.

It is also alleged by the Crown that Ross possessed etizolam at Fairbairn Street on February 11 this year, with the intention that he would supply it to another or others.

Ross made no plea and the case was continued for further examination.

Sheriff Drummond remanded him in custody. Ross is expected to appear in court again next week to be fully committed for trial.

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Dundee Sheriff Court