Man who spat in police officer's face jailed

A man’s been jailed for spitting in the face of a police officer during the coronavirus lockdown.

Dean Anthony Whitehead of Heather Crescent in Douglas appeared before High Bailiff Jayne Hughes at Douglas Courthouse via a live videolink from the prison.

The 33 year old admitted stealing heating oil from an empty council house on Anagh Coar Lane on November 21 last year.

But while on bail for that offence, police were called to his mother’s address 15 minutes after he should have been observing a curfew at home – he became violent and officers had to use incapacitant spray to arrest him.

He spat directly into the officer’s face as he was being taken into custody.

The court heard Whitehead was addicted to drugs but regretted his actions.

Mrs Hughes jailed him for a total of 20 weeks but didn’t activate a suspended sentence he was serving at the time of the offences or order him to pay costs or compensation.