A POWYS man who left a police officer anxiously awaiting the results of a hepatitis test after he spat in his face has been handed a suspended prison sentence.
Michael Evans, 41, spat directly in PC Weale’s eye after police officers were called to an incident at a caravan park in July.
Evans, of Gwynfa, Lant Avenue, Llandrindod Wells, appeared agitated when he was sentenced to the suspended term of custody at the town’s magistrates court this week, telling the bench he did not have the potentially deadly virus.
He previously admitted one charge of assaulting an emergency worker at a caravan park near Doldowlod, between Rhayader and Newbridge-on-Wye. on July 26.
The spitting incident occurred as officers were trying to put Evans into a police vehicle. He threatened to spit in the officer’s face, which he then did. He spat in his eye and the officer later went to hospital to have a blood test.
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James Ashton, prosecuting on Wednesday, September 11, said the incident was “deeply unpleasant”.
“He (Evans) had a marker for hepatitis C,” he said.
“This caused huge anxiety and concern for the officer and his family. Blood tests have shown as normal, so it doesn’t appear he has been affected.”
Gavin Rofer, defending Evans, said: “It’s a matter of consternation about this marker for hepatitis; it might be on his record but he doesn’t have it.
“Hopefully he can work with probation and can get it removed.
“He welcomes all potential intervention and feels all the options open to him are things that will help them in his current state, and he will abide by them and cooperate with them.”
Magistrates told Evans the offence had passed custody threshold. They ordered he serve an 18-week jail sentence – including an additional two weeks, as an uplift for the assault being on a police officer – but they suspended it for 12 months.
“We believe there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation,” chair of the bench Alun Morgan told him.
The suspended sentence order will include a need to carry out 25 rehabilitation activity days, which will include mental health treatment.
A £154 surcharge will instead be used to pay compensation to the officer, and Evans must also pay £85 costs
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