Man suspected of being HIV positive spat at police officer
A police officer endured a six month wait to find out he was HIV free after a man spat into his mouth shouting ‘I have Aids - I hope you get Aids’.
Martyn Lyndon Williams, 42, of Raingate Street, Bury St Edmunds, pleaded guilty to assaulting a constable in the execution of his duty at Bury St Edmunds Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
At 1am on August 11 Sergeant Mark Beirne was arresting Williams for being drunk and disorderly, in Bury, when he was spat at.
The court heard Williams shouted abuse at the officer such as ‘I have got Aids - I hope you get Aids and die’.
Police records showed Williams to be HIV positive which Colette Griffiths, prosecuting, said caused ‘great concern for the officer’.
Sgt Beirne immediately went to hospital for advice and treatment.
Jeremy Kendall, in mitigation, said Williams did not recall the incident, however accepted he was drunk and disorderly.
He said police records were incorrect as Williams has never been tested positively for HIV.
Magistrates ordered a probation report be compiled before Williams is sentenced on March 12 and released him on conditional bail.
A spokesperson for Suffolk Police said: “Our frontline officers do sometimes have to face difficult situations.
“We would commend our staff for the range of challenges they face on a daily basis in order to protect the public and uphold the law.”
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Weather for Bury St Edmunds
Thursday 23 May 2013
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Light showers
Temperature: 4 C to 9 C
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