Man spat in female cop’s face at height of pandemic

A drunken Perth man with a history of violence spat “directly” into a female police officer’s face during the coronavirus pandemic last December.

Thirty-one-year-old Gordon Dewar, who also launched a volley of racially abusive names at two officers as they arrested him in the city centre, was jailed for a total of 22 months at Perth Sheriff Court yesterday.

Sheriff Alister Carmichael told Dewar, of St Catherine’s

Square, that although there was no indication he had the virus, it was still a “serious” offence.

He admitted spitting on PC Rebecca Miller’s face in Mill Street in December 4, 2020 and acting in an abusive manner.

The court was told that police traced the accused on a number two bus and escorted him to their car.

They intended to take him home but he “tensed up” and refused to get into their vehicle.

He shouted and swore before spitting at PC Miller.

The saliva hit her directly in the face.

Solicitor Linda Clark said he had been drinking and had “very little recollection” of what had happened.

Sheriff Carmichael noted he has multiple convictions for violence, including assault and robbery.

The incident had also been made worse due to the ongoing pandemic and a “stiff ” sentence was necessary.

The jail term was backdated to December 7, when he was first remanded.