A MAN has been jailed for a “disgusting piece of behaviour” which saw him throw urine and faeces over three prison officers before spitting in the mouth of a fourth.

Graham Barrowman, of Queens Promenade in Norbreck, Blackpool, appeared at Mold Crown Court via video link on Monday.

The 43-year-old had previously admitted four counts of assault against emergency workers, which took place in March last year.

He had also admitted possessing a blade article and possessing articles for use in the commission of burglary, namely a crowbar, earlier this month.

The court heard in March last year Barrowman was an inmate at HMP Berwyn.

On the day of the assault, he had been out of his cell to collect his medications and was escorted back by prison officers.

When inside the cell, he picked up a container, which the officers were suspicious about.

He refused to put it down and shouted to the officers to get out - before throwing the contents over three of their trousers and shoes.

It contained urine and faeces as they had suspected. While officers were detaining Barrowman, he spat saliva containing blood into one of their mouths, shouting: “Have that - I’ve got f****** aids as well.”

The officers attended the hospital for tetanus injections and medical checks.

The court heard Barrowman had been “conscripted” by other prisoners in order to assault a prison officer - not one of those he ended up assaulting, it turned out.

Rachael Wood, defending, told the court: “There’s nothing I can say about the circumstances which will assist the defendant. They were deeply unpleasant and very serious. This defendant, at 43 and with a long standing drug addiction, must find life on the outside as difficult as it is on the inside. Although it appears he was making some progress, it seems he was resigned to going back to prison.”

Judge Geraint Walters told Barrowman: “What you did was a disgusting piece of behaviour. Spitting in the mouth of another human being is as disgraceful as things get and you know that. These men are doing a job - they have an obligation to care for you and this is how you rewarded them. You’re a prolific burglar, you use heroin [and] have blighted your life. Unless you actually decide you’re going to change, all you are doing is ensuring declining health and in all probability an early death. I ask this question; are you ever going to learn and decide to put yourself first? You’re not living - you’re existing. There’s a big difference.”

The judge handed him three month concurrent sentences for each of the prison officer assaults, a consecutive six months for the spitting incident, five months consecutive for possession of the crowbar and two months consecutive for the knife - making a total jail term of 16 months.