A HOMELESS man has been jailed for the “disgusting” crime of trying to spread tuberculosis (TB) by coughing over Oxford City Council workers.

David Goodwin, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison yesterday for one charge of assault by battery and five public order offences at Oxford Magistrates’ Court.

The court head how in March this year the 49-year-old deliberately coughed over five workers, trying to give them potentially fatal TB, because he was angry he had not been given housing.

Speaking at the sentencing, District Judge Tim Pattinson said: “Those offences are among the most disgusting any court could deal with.

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“Spitting is the most degrading type of assault upon the victim.”

Judge Pattinson was told how on March 10 Goodwin went to the council’s customer services desk at Oxford City Council’s St Aldate’s offices and targeted Lorraine Francis and Stephanie Tee.

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

Sentencing Goodwin, Mr Pattinson said: “The victims had a real fear of disease and you deliberately caused all six victims to live with that fear over a serious disease for some considerable time.

“You clearly premeditated this and went in there in order to spread it.

“All of those victims were employed in the public sector providing a service to the public. They are people who deserve to be protected by criminal law.”

The court heard tests this month showed Goodwin was still infectious and that because he has not taken medication properly, the bacteria was now developing a resistance to drugs.

But Emily Watson, defending Goodwin, said he was now taking medication daily.

Goodwin appeared over video link from HMP Bullingdon, where he is being kept in isolation, wearing a face mask.

He apologised in court to the victims and said: “The only thing I knew about TB was that it came from badgers.”

Mr Pattinson said: “I accept that you now apologise and that you have suffered from very difficult personal and health problems – including housing – but your apology is somewhat hollow.” The city council also applied for an anti-social behaviour order against Goodwin, which was granted.

He is forbidden from harassing anyone in Oxford, going into any public building used for leisure in Oxford, spitting or coughing on anyone, and trying or threatening to spread TB directly or indirectly.

When Goodwin is in hospital, he cannot leave his room aside from the garden or other treatment rooms and he is banned from removing his face mask - which he must wear while in hospital - without permission.

There is no time limit on the order, but Mr Pattinson said if Goodwin could provide proof he was free of TB he could seek for it to be lifted.

In an additonal order under the Public Health Act, Mr Pattinson said Goodwin needed to submit to medical testing and provide sputum samples if needed for the next 28 days.

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