Hunstanton man Jamie Dillon produced ‘huge amount of spit’ while in police van before spitting at officer

A man who produced “huge amounts” of saliva which covered the inside of a police van also spat at an officer.

Jamie Dillon, 29, of Hamon Close in Old Hunstanton, appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday where he admitted causing criminal damage as well as common assault on an emergency worker.

Crown prosecutor Sally Harris said that on September 2, police attended Dillon’s home address to arrest him on an unrelated matter.

He was asked for his mobile phone, but Dillon denied having one on him.

While being arrested, he took a mobile out of his pocket and attempted to stamp on it.

Dillon was handcuffed and put in a police van to be taken into custody. Once in the van, he repeatedly kept banging his head on its sides.

He also kept spitting in the van and after being taken out of it, he spat on one of the police officer’s trousers.

“He offered to wash the huge amounts of spit on the floor, sides and door of the van,” said Ms Harris.

In mitigation, Tiffany Meredith said that Dillon was suffering from a “mental breakdown” at the time of the offence.

The solicitor added that Dillon was a “victim of the woeful mental health services in the area” as he believes he suffers from border personality disorder.

“The spitting was not directed at the officer, he did apologise to him and offered to clean the van,” said Ms Meredith.

“Clearly he has a mental disorder, no one keeps banging their head on a police van.

“We are thankful the spit didn’t hit the officer’s face.”

Dillon was fined a total of £240 along with a victim surcharge of £104 and court costs of £50.