A HOMELESS TB sufferer who deliberately coughed over Oxford City Council workers has been called “disgusting and dangerous” by a judge.

Yesterday, Oxfordshire Magistrates’ Court was told when David Goodwin was diagnosed with potentially fatal tuberculosis, he allegedly told a nurse: “Oh good, I’m infectious. I can infect people.”

The 49-year-old then targeted five members of staff in the local authority’s offices in Oxford city centre, coughing into their faces and spraying phlegm onto one woman’s cheek.

District Judge Tim Pattinson was told Goodwin, of no fixed address, bore a grudge against council employees whom he believed had denied him housing.

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All Goodwin’s victims gave evidence during his two-hour trial yesterday and described being worried, shocked and revolted by his behaviour.

The defendant himself did not attend the hearing because he refused to wear a face mask and so was not brought from HMP Bullingdon. He is being kept in isolation there.

After hearing the evidence, Mr Pattinson said he had “no hesitation” in finding Goodwin guilty of five public order offences and an assault by beating.

He said: “Quite frankly all six of these offences are most disgusting and are against people who are trying to serve the public.

“These are people who must be protected by law from the disgusting and dangerous behaviour of someone like Mr Goodwin.”

Robin Feast, a nursing manager working at the Luther Street medical centre, saw Goodwin many times and diagnosed him with TB on March 7 this year.

He told the judge: “Usually people are quite scared by the diagnosis of TB, but he had completely the reverse thought.

“He felt he had power, the TB gave him power to infect people. He was very angry at society for the way he felt he had been treated.

“He had a particular grudge against council workers, he felt they were giving housing to migrants ahead of people like him.”

And on March 10 this year Goodwin went to the council’s customer services desk and violently coughed over Lorraine Francis and Stephanie Tee.

The following day he returned and targeted Viv Illingworth, Christopher Hodgkinson and Jennifer Hark – who was assaulted when his phlegm hit her cheek.

Ms Tee said: “He was coughing almost constantly at the time.

“He was doing it in a way you or I would not do it, not covering his face and leaning towards me.”

Miss Hark said after coughing in her face Goodwin told her: “I’ve got TB, there’s your little bit.”

He is subject to a temporary antisocial behaviour order (Asbo) to stop him from coughing and spitting at people, which he has also threatened to do while in prison.

Goodwin will be sentenced at Oxfordshire Magistrates’ Court on October 21 and District Judge Pattinson said he was likely to receive a prison sentence.

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