Lout hit with curfew for vile outburst and coughing in cop’s face
Sheriff warns yob for making covid threats at hospital
A thug who coughed in a cop’s face, telling him “I hope you catch the Delta variant”, has been ordered to stay at home in the evenings as part of his punishment.
Kevin McGettigan was ordered to remain indoors between 7pm and 7am by Sheriff Gillian Craig when he appeared for sentence on Monday.
The Barrhead man had also told an officer he would give him cancer and that he wanted to spread Covid-19 to everyone.
Vile McGettigan admitted coughing in the face of the officer on July 10 last year during an incident at Govan’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
He had been taken there following an incident in Barrhead’s Waulkmill Avenue.
Paisley Sheriff Court earlier heard that officers had occasion to arrest the accused at around 7am on Saturday July 10, 2021.
Despite the fact that he had been assaulted earlier and officers were taking him to hospital, McGettigan lashed out at one cop.
The court was told at a previous hearing: “The accused had been assaulted shortly before the arrest and had injuries and, due to these, he was taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital to be treated.
“The accused made threats to police constable Webster, stating ‘I’ll give you cancer and I hope you die.’”
“The accused also stated ‘I hope you catch the Delta variant’ and ‘I’m not getting my jags, I want to give it to everyone.’”
The 45-year-old turned to the officer and coughed in his face.
Other officers present at the time told how they believed the cough to be “deliberate” and targeted at their colleague.
The court was also told: “A spit hood was immediately applied to the accused to offer some protection to police.
“The accused also repeatedly referred to PC Muir as a ‘lesbian’ and shouted and swore.”
Defence agent Charlie
McCusker told how during the assault McGettigan had suffered a laceration to his eye, a broken nose and an injury to his body.
He told the court that his client had “demonstrated remorse in respect of the matter” and had taken alcohol before the incident erupted but added: “It hasn’t been a feature of his life since then.
McGettigan, of Waulkmill Avenue, had suffered in the past from drug-induced psychosis due to substance use, the court heard, for which he still receives treatment although his condition was described as “stable”.
The defence told Sheriff Gillian Craig: “I would ask your ladyship to consider an alternative to custody.”
McGettigan was ordered to carry out a community payback order which will see him carry out 60 hours of unpaid work.
The sheriff also placed him under a Restriction of Liberty Order, which will see him confined to his home address between 7pm and 7am for a four month period, saying McGettigan had been “aggressive” with people who were trying to help and added:
“What you said was aggravated by sexual orientation”.
The accused stated ‘I hope you catch the Delta variant and ‘I’m not getting my jags’