Sunderland man spat at police officer after they used PAVA spray on him

Scott Weir, 36, committed the vile act after trying to flee officers called to a disturbance at a house in Greenwell Road, Southwick, on Friday, January 2.

Police who peered through the window saw Weir, of Partick Road, Pennywell, and a woman having words – and entered to separate them.

Weir tried to run off but was hauled to the ground but remained so aggressive he was squirted with police PAVA spray in a bid to subdue him.

During the melee, he called the officer “baldy” and spoke a racist slur, prosecutor Clare Haswell told South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard Weir committed the attack while drinking up to eight cans of alcohol a day.

In a victim statement, the officer said being spat was the worst type of offence he faced while carrying out his duties.

Ms Haswell said: “Officers attended after a drop call in which a woman could be heard crying on the line.

“They attended and the woman and the defendant were having words with each other.

“She was in a corner. He answered the door, and they were taken into separate rooms. An officer tried to arrest the defendant, but he tried to make off.

“The officer took hold of him to prevent an escape, and the defendant was taken to the ground. He was PAVA sprayed.

“He spat towards the officer and the spit landed both times on his face, narrowly missing an eye.”

Weir, who has one conviction, a battery in 2011, pleaded guilty to a charge of common assault of an emergency worker.

David Forrester, defending, told District Judge Zoe Passfield: “The defendant gives quite a different chronology of what happened, while accepting his guilt.

“It clearly seems that you need Probation Service involvement. Both parties were drinking. He’s hardly convicted at all.

“He has a brain injury. He tells me he has been drinking up to eight cans a day.”

Judge Passfield adjourned the case for reports and Weir will be sentenced at the same court on Wednesday, April 8.