A man who spat in the face of a police officer was this week jailed for 18 weeks.

Billy Robert Sumner also had 28 days added to that sentence in respect of unpaid fines.

The 25-year-old lashed out, hitting the courtroom door and wall, swearing loudly as he was led away after being sentenced.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes told Sumner, who lives in Empire Terrace in Douglas: ’We have been living during a pandemic. Your behaviour was not just disgusting, in the circumstances it was inexcusable.

’Anyone spitting in anyone’s face during a pandemic can expect nothing less than a custodial sentence.’

We previously reported that police went to Empire Terrace on June 11 dealing with an unrelated matter.

Sumner was being arrested and taken to the rear of a police van but then started to protest.

Pava spray was deployed and Sumner kicked out his legs and spat at one of the officers with the spit landing on his face and in his eye.

As he was being restrained he then spat again with the spit landing in an officer’s mouth and in his eyes.

One of the officers was taken to Accident and Emergency for two hours and given a hepatitis jab.

When interviewed later Sumner admitted spitting but said he had not been aiming at the officers and had no intent to infect them with anything.

Sumner entered a basis of plea in which he said that he had believed the initial arrest was wrong and he had then been choking after being sprayed with the incapacitant spray.

He said that the first spit had been because he was trying to clear his mouth but admitted that the second had been deliberately in the direction of the officer, though not intentionally at his face.

apology

Defence advocate Ian Kermode handed in two letters of apology from his client, one intended for the police and one for the court.

Mr Kermode said: ’Initially, at the point of arrest, Mr Sumner was calm and co-operative but he became agitated after being Pava sprayed. The spit was after being sprayed.

’He was protesting as to why he was being arrested and nothing came of that matter.

’The first spit was to clear his mouth, it was a reckless act. He was pinned down and then deliberately turned his head and spat but not deliberately at the police officer as his eyes were closed.

’There is no evidence he was intoxicated. As to why he did this, we can only put it down to his anger management issues. There was no pre-meditation.’

Mr Kermode went on to say that his client had previous convictions but none for assaults or obstructions relating to police and asked the court to consider the Article eight human rights of Sumner and his two children, who live with their mother.

The advocate read out an extract from Sumner’s letter to the police which said: ’My behaviour that day was disgusting and it’s the last time it will ever happen.’

A probation report put Sumner at a medium risk of re-offending and of harm to the public, and recommended a suspended sentence.

High Bailiff Mrs Hughes said that, while she had considered the article eight human rights aspect, that did not outweigh the need for a message to go out that spitting in someone’s face during the pandemic would result in immediate custody.