Police ScotlandA thief has been jailed for two years after admitting spitting at police officers and claiming he had coronavirus.
Alex Porterfield, 25, bragged in the dock that he likes prison during his sentencing on Thursday.
He made the comments after pleading guilty to assaulting six officers last October, as well as in April and May this year.
Porterfield was initially snared by officers counting money from a cancer charity tin that he stole from a Glasgow restaurant.
He appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court to admit housebreaking, the assaults and acting in a threatening or abusive manner.
The court heard Porterfield was caught in October breaking into three bars and restaurants in Glasgow city centre in the middle of the night.
Porterfield stole a Beatson charity box from one restaurant before being traced to nearby St Vincent Street.
Prosecutor Adele Macdonald said: “He was found in possession of the charity money box and was counting the cash.”
Porterfield was arrested and put in an observation cell at a police station.
He spat towards constables Christopher Stewart and Neil Bonsor who managed to dodge the droplets during a check of his cell.
Six months later, Porterfield was traced to the city centre hotel in relation to another housebreaking at a restaurant.
He became aggressive towards the officers and made homophobic remarks before stating: “I hope you get coronavirus and die.”
Porterfield was arrested and held in custody before spitting on the face of PC Mark Richardson.
He committed his final assaults after officers arrested him outside a Tesco Express on Great Western Road.
Porterfield spat at PC David Allan as he was being taken to a cell and stated: “Ha, ha I’ve got coronavirus.”
He later spat through a hatch in his cell door towards officers Scott Gemmell and James Thomson then made the same remark.
Lawyer, Gemma Elder, defending, said: “His behaviour cannot be excused, and was abhorrent.
“The housebreaking was simply to provide for himself as he has been homeless for the best part of his life.”
Sheriff Sean Murphy QC told Porterfield that he would come to a point where he would realise that he was making a “complete mess of things” and could do something with his life.
Porterfield replied: “I can’t get a job, so I like the jail, I will do that [sentence] standing on my head.”
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