Prison guards keeping an HIV positive inmate in custody have been left to panic after he sprayed his urine and faeces into their faces.
Miles Atkinson, 34, fired the bodily fluids from a toothpaste tube spraying three officers in the face and mouth while in custody at HMP Altcourse, in Fazakerley, Liverpool.
Atkinson was on remand in custody at the Fazakerley prison on the day of the incident, July 27 last year, after twice assaulting the mother of his child.
Edward Haygarth, prosecuting, said due to previous ‘unpredictable and bizarre behaviour’ he was on ‘three-person lockdown’.
That meant he had to be escorted by three officers, who took him from his cell to a medical department at around 4pm.
On the way back he became ‘agitated’, started speaking what ‘appeared to be nonsense’ and was reluctant to go in his cell.
The wing manager talked to him but as he went to close the door, Atkinson ‘sprayed the contents of a toothpaste tube at him’.
Mr Haygarth said: ‘Regrettably most of the mixture subsequently landed on the officers.’
The wing manager was hit in the face and on his shirt and trousers, while a ‘considerable amount’ went in another male officer’s mouth.
Mr Haygarth said they had to undergo blood tests and receive Hepatitis B injections.
He said: ‘They were to a large extent precautionary measures required to some extent because the defendant had been announcing to the prison he was HIV positive. Regrettably it appears that is the case.’
Atkinson was charged with four counts of administering a noxious substance with intent to the four guards.
However, prosecutors accepted a guilty plea to one count, in relation to the wing manager, and three counts of battery.
