The fact that two members of the emergency services, one on the #ThinBlueLine and the other on the #ThinGreenLine, were both spat on unfortunately isn’t that surprising. It happens way too often.
What is quite surprising however, is that the young lad convicted of the offences has been banged up for his vile act. Most of the time, individuals who deem it fit-and-proper to spit on members of the emergency services, will just get a slap on the wrist.
Taylor Cockerill, 18, of Campbell Street in Dunfermline was instead sent down for five months.
The sentencing comes following two separate incidents on the same day when he spat in the face of a Paramedic and then later spat on a Police Sergeant whilst back at the Police station.
Depute fiscal Claire Kennedy said police officers had gone to Cockerill’s home for another matter and, because of his level of intoxication, decided that he should be checked by an ambulance crew as they were concerned for his welfare.
Ms Kennedy continued: “The paramedic leant down to try and speak to him and the accused turned his head and spat at him,” she told the court.
“The accused then struggled with the paramedic whilst the examination was being attempted.”
After being taken back to the nick, Cockerill was being asked questions about his care and welfare at the custody desk when he spat at the Custody Sergeant.
Sheriff Craig McSherry said it was the second offence which Cockerill had committed which involved emergency workers.
“You are on a community payback order in respect of the first offending which, according to the schedule, there appears to have been a number of charges,” he told him.
“I regard spitting on someone’s face as extremely serious. In the circumstance, I am of the view that you have been given the opportunity to behave on the community payback order and you have breached that by offending.”
COMMENT
Its rare that those in the judiciary treat spitting on members of the emergency services with the severity that it deserves.
Unless your name is Diane Abbott, chances are that you understand the harm that can be caused by spitting on someone; especially if the individual carrying out the unwanted (one way) spit exchange has any contagious diseases.
I lost count of the amount of times that I had to convey a colleague to hospital so that they could be checked out for any contagious diseases having been spat on by humanities version of a spitting cobra.
That is why it is good to hear that someone who likes sharing their spit with members of the emergency services (without being invited to) will have a few months to save up their spit for someone who might actually want it.
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