A THUG spat blood at a paramedic who was trying to treat him and then flicked it at a hospital security officer.

Ambulance workers were called to Vineyard Street car park in Colchester after reports that John Impey had been fitting.

However, when they arrived, the 33-year-old was drunk and immediately aggressive.

While in the ambulance he began throwing his body around, meaning those treating him were forced to call for assistance and another paramedic arrived.

As they were conveying Impey to Colchester Hospital, he sucked blood from a cut he had on his thumb and spat it at a paramedic where it landed on his sleeve.

His behaviour continued at the hospital where he threatened to knock people out and a security guard was called.

Impey again sucked the blood from his wound and spat and flicked it towards the worker with some landing on his face.

At the time of the incident in December last year, Impey was on bail accused of glassing someone in a pub. He was jailed for 32 months earlier this year after admitting grievous bodily harm.

Impey appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court via video link yesterday and admitted a pair of assaults on emergency workers.

Both Impey and the guard are former soldiers, and the hospital worker said his disgusting behaviour had brought shame on himself and the badge he wore.

He said he had lost sleep after the assault and feared he may have picked up an infection.

Mark Pearson, mitigating, said Impey had no memory of the incident and apologised profusely.

“He is ashamed about what happened on that day,” he said.

“There is no memory until he came round in hospital some time later.

“After being told what had happened he did apologise and reassured them he had no contagious diseases.

“At the time he was drinking quite heavily and was finding the situation with bail for as long as he was quite stressful.”

Magistrates handed Impey, of Castle Brooks, Framlingham, Suffolk, 180 hours of unpaid work which will begin when he is released from jail.

He must pay £75 compensation to the paramedic, £125 to the guard and £335 in court charges.