A man has appeared in court and admitted assaulting a police officer by spitting at him following his arrest at Appleby Horse Fair.
Scott Graham, 35, approached a different constable while he was on duty outside the Grapes pub on the town’s Sands on June 9. The officer knew Graham through his work in South Cumbria.
Graham, of no fixed address, approached the officer and delivered a volley of verbal abuse.
“There wasn’t any reason for that behaviour,” prosecutor Peter Kelly told Carlisle Magistrates’ Court. “The defendant was intoxicated and is described as going into the officer’s personal space.”
Graham was served with a dispersal order which directed him to leave the area for a designated period of time. But Mr Kelly said he refused to accept it, ripped up the paperwork and continued to be disruptive, resulting in his arrest.
After being detained, Graham spat at an officer with saliva landing on his arm. He was also abusive to his colleagues.
“I come to work as a PC to help the public. I expect a level of aggression when dealing members of the public,” said the officer involved. He did not expect to be assaulted or spat upon, and he added: “It puts me at risk from body fluids. It is absolutely disgusting.”
Graham admitted assaulting an emergency worker, two public order charges and being drunk and disorderly.
After hearing some details of issues in Graham’s personal life, magistrates asked for the preparation of a pre-sentence report before a punishment was handed down.
Graham is due to be sentenced on October 3 and was granted bail in relation to the four offences in the meantime.
