Leeds Iceland store shoplifter refused to pay for wine and told security staff 'I'm just here to get drunk and dance'

Simon Carlin shouted 'I hope you get AIDS' at the officer after carrying out the disgusting spitting attack.

Leeds Crown Court heard Carlin also made repeated threatening phone calls to his former girlfriend in a separate set of offending.

Benjamin Bell, prosecuting, said Carlin entered the Iceland Food Warehouse store at Kirkstall Bridge Shopping Park at 11.30am on November 8 this year.

The 37-year-old defendant took a bottle of wine from a shelf and opened it in the aisle.

He was approached by a security officer and told to go pay for the item at the till.

Carlin refused and said: "I'm not going to pay for it. I'm here to get p***** and dance."

He then picked up a vape and bottle of flavouring and threw it at the staff member.

Carlin refused to leave, picked up the vape and began puffing on it.

Police were called and three officers went to the store and found Carlin sitting on a stool in the alcohol aisle.

He refused to go with the officers and struggled as attempts were made to place him in handcuffs.

He kicked one of the officers then spat in the face of one of his colleagues and said: "I hope you get AIDS."

The officer had to go to hospital after the incident to have tests for possible infections.

The court heard Bell also harassed his former partner on two separate occasions.

In July this year he rang her more than 50 times from a withheld number.

The woman blocked Carlin from all social media and changed her number but he targeted her again in October this year.

Mr Bell said Carlin called her more than 70 times and left 57 voicemail messages.

He appeared to be drunk as he left the messages and made threats.

In one of the messages he threatened to attack her brother with a hammer.

Carlin, of Morris Lane, Kirkstall, pleaded guilty to theft, two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, harassment and harassment causing fear of violence.

The court heard he has 32 previous convictions for 77 offences.

He has served a prison sentence in the past for assaulting a police officer.

Carlin appeared before the court via a prison video link.

The case was adjourned by Judge Rodney James QC after the prosecution's opening as Carlin's barrister had technical problems accessing the court remotely.

Carlin shouted "it's a shambles" before his microphone was muted.

Carlin will now be sentenced on Wednesday December 22.