Belfast man who spat in police officer’s face and said he had Covid is jailed

Darren Brownlee also threw punches at another constable called to deal with him shouting abuse outside his home in west Belfast.

The 24-year-old had allegedly declared: “I’m the daddy of the street.”

Brownlee, of White Rise in Dunmurry, admitted two counts of assault on police, disorderly behaviour, and resisting police.

Belfast Magistrates’ Court was told officers encountered him after being called to the area on April 8 this year.

“He squared up to one constable, throwing punches at him,” a Crown lawyer said.

CS spray had to be deployed as Brownlee struggled violently and kicked out during attempts to arrest him.

“He then spat at and struck (another) constable on the face, subsequently stating that he had Covid-19 “ the prosecutor added.

“Just before this he had been very noisy and shouting abuse at various people.”

Defence barrister Taryn Graham accepted there was “a certain inevitability” about the sentence her client faced.

“I appreciate this is a particularly bad matter to come before the court,” she said.

Brownlee was due to start a new job in road work maintenance next Monday.

Instead, however, District Judge Peter Magill imposed four months imprisonment for the new offences and ordered him to serve a further six weeks from a previous suspended sentence.

He said: “Spitting at a police officer’s face and saying you’ve got Covid, only one disposal is appropriate for that.”