A Radcliffe man who spat at a police officer during the pandemic has been spared jailed after obeying a judge’s request to make improvements to his life.

Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard police were called to Duxbury Drive, Bury, at 3.40pm in June last year after reports of a disturbance.

Officers found Curtis Taylor, who was under the influence of alcohol.

Taylor told police he had been involved in a play fight and no complaint was made against him.

But despite this police told Taylor they would have to remove him from the scene due to him being intoxicated.

Katy Laverty, prosecuting, said: “He threatened to go back to the house when they left.

“A decision was made to arrest him.”

After this, Taylor spat at a police officer and it landed on his arm.

Ms Laverty added: “The officer said they were concerned, it was in the height of Covid.

“The officer felt shocked that someone would do this as he was just trying to protect the public.”

When being processed at the police station, Taylor said he had spat at the officer and said “he deserved it".

Taylor, 29, of Seddon Avenue, Radcliffe, appeared in court to be sentenced after admitting assaulting an emergency service worker.

He was serving a community order, which is still running, at the time of the offence.

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He previously had a sentence on him deferred with the judge requesting that he get a job, remain out of trouble and engage with support services

Michael Lea, defending, said he had obtained a job, had worked with the probation service and Healthy Minds and was working to address his alcohol problem.

Judge Angela Nield said: “The officer’s concern was heightened by what not only is a disgusting act but an act which can be the basis for disease transmission.

But she added: “I gave you a number of tasks including finding employment, something I acknowledged may be difficult for some one who had your problems with alcohol.

“You have secured employment, you have engaged not simply with the probation service with Heathy Minds.”

She suspended a sentence of 24 weeks for a period of 18 months with the single requirement that Taylor commits no further offences within this period.

Judge Nield also ordered him to pay compensation of £100.