Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard Axis Robertson, who was being taken to hospital because of a suspected drug overdose, threatened to give the officer hepatitis and later spat at him. District Judge Alexandra Preston said the defendant's behaviour at the police station, in the van and at hospital had been disgusting. "The racist abuse continued at the hospital where he threatened to spit at the officer and give him hepatitis. "He then did spit at him, and the officer felt he did that because of his colour. "He had been subjected to significant racist abuse for hours before the spitting."