A tourist ended up in hospital after being scratched with a suspected syringe needle, a court heard on Wednesday.
Details of the ordeal emerged as a man with 146 previous convictions was jailed for a series of incidents including threatening another victim with a needle saying it contained contaminated blood.
Shaun Patrick Tracey, 38, of Orpen Drive, Finaghy in South Belfast, was told by Judge Mark Reel that he will spend 18 months in jail and a further 18 months on supervised licence on his release from prison.
Tracey had previously pleaded guilty to attempted robbery, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possessing an offensive weapon in a public place, namely a needle.
Prosecution barrister Natalie Pinkerton told Belfast Crown Court that in the early hours of May 6, 2024, a tourist was walking along Great Victoria Street in Belfast city centre with a group of friends.
“As he approached the Crown Bar he saw the defendant a few metres ahead swerving and staggering about,” said Ms Pinkerton.
“As he passed him the defendant did not say anything but the victim noticed the defendant make a gesture with his arm. He connected with the victim’s right hand and he felt a scratch to his wrist. He then saw blood on his wrist.”
The victim spoke to door staff at a nearby bar who phoned the police. The tourist was taken to hospital where he was given medication to prevent hepatitis and had to take it for a month. Ms Pinkerton said the defendant then made his way towards the nearby Grand Opera House.
The prosecutor added: “He demanded money from a second victim. The defendant produced a needle and said: ‘My blood is on this and I have AIDS. Give me money’. The victim ran off but he could see him approaching someone else. When police approached the defendant he threw multiple needles at them.”
Tracey was arrested and cautioned and during police interview he denied the offending. The court heard the defendant has 146 previous convictions, mostly for thefts and common assaults.
At the time of his offending, Tracey was on bail pending an appeal for a conviction of sexual assault and had only been released from prison hours earlier. Defence barrister Michael Boyd described Tracey’s lengthy criminal record as “formidable”.
“He has been abusing drugs from a very young age and he had a very difficult start in life,” said Mr Boyd.
“It is fair to say he has been institutionalised by the long periods of time he has spent in custody. There have not been any periods where there has been stability in his life. He spent a lot of time on the streets, in and out of hostels where other people are taking drugs.
“That is not to excuse in any way the very serious charges this court is dealing with but it puts into context the long and difficult history this man has had with his addiction to drugs.”
The Probation Board said Tracey was a high likelihood of reoffending in the future.
Judge Reel remarked that upon release from prison the defendant will most likely “consume more alcohol and drugs and it is simply a roll of the dice as to what happens next”.
The judge added: “The victim in the assault case came here as a tourist and ended up facing this ordeal because of the actions of the defendant. Another victim was threatened with contaminated blood. These offences are an appalling reflection on this city.”
The court granted a prosecution application for the destruction of the needles.
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