'I hope you die of Covid' - prison for thug who coughed on police officers at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary

A thug who coughed on two police officers and shouted “I hope you die of Covid” has been jailed for 15 months.

John McGhee launched the “absolutely disgraceful” attack on the officers after he had been taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment last November.

He also spat on the hospital floor within close proximity of medical staff during the “alarming” outburst.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The lout had been taken to the capital hospital with concerns for his health after he had been arrested for throwing a glass bottle at security staff at a Tesco supermarket in Musselburgh, East Lothian.

Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where McGhee made targeted officersEdinburgh Royal Infirmary where McGhee made targeted officers
Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where McGhee made targeted officers

McGhee, 26, from Glasgow’s Possilpark district, appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court via video link from HMP Edinburgh and admitted three offences.

Prosecutor Anna Robertson told the court McGhee was spotted by security staff carrying a glass bottle while inside the Tesco supermarket at around 10.40pm on November 11 last year.

The guards “challenged” him about his presence within the store but McGhee turned violent and launched the bottle at employee Derek Headspeath.

Fortunately the missile missed its intended target and crashed against a window behind Mr Headspeath.

Ms Robertson said police were called and McGhee told officers he wanted to be arrested so he could “return to prison for a three week holiday”.

After being taken to the ERI due to “concerns for his welfare” McGhee started to act unruly and began shouting.

The fiscal added: “He said ‘I hope you die of Covid’ and ‘I hope you get Covid’.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“He continued shouting this and was spitting on the ground in the hospital.”

The fiscal said the incident took place while there were “vulnerable [patients] and medical staff close by.

Defence agent James Mulgrew said his McGhee had been staying with a friend in Musselburgh at the time.

The lawyer said his client, a father-of-one, “apologises for his behaviour” and had been “consuming alcohol and drugs” prior to the incidents.

Jailing McGhee, Sheriff Nigel Ross told him: “This is absolutely disgraceful behaviour and you put at risk, certainly put in fear, two officers who were trying to help you.

“These are serious matters and coughing on members of the public while either infected or saying you are infected with Covid is alarming and selfish harmful behaviour.

“There is no appropriate alternative to a custodial sentence.”

McGhee pleaded guilty to assaulting Derek Headspeath by throwing a glass bottle at him at Tesco, Musselburgh, on November 11 last year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He also admitted to assaulting two police officers by coughing on them and uttering threats to harm them during a global Covid 19 virus pandemic at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary on November 12 last year.

He pleaded to a third offence of uttering offensive remarks and spitting on the ground in close proximity of medical staff at the ERI during a global Covid 19 virus pandemic on November 12 last year.

The case was one of a number which prompted calls from the Scottish Police Federation for harsher punishments to be meted out to people threatening officers by spitting or coughing on them.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.