A man who spat on two women on Vancouver’s Commercial Drive has pleaded guilty to assault and has been sentenced to a conditional discharge.
Michael James Allan was initially charged with two counts of assault involving two female complainants, both government workers on April 10.
On Aug. 21, Vancouver Provincial Court Judge Nancy Adams agreed to the charges being merged into one to which Allan pleaded guilty.
“He admits the essential elements of the offence, that he did spit on these individuals,” defence lawyer Ashley Valleau said.
Crown prosecutor Sharon Preston said Allan became agitated and swore at the women before spitting on both.
One received spit on her face and clothes while the other received some on the chest.
“Spitting is a way of showing contempt,” Adams told Allan. “It is highly personal.”
“They were government workers minding their own business,” the judge said.
Valleau told Adams her client has some mental health issues and became agitated by the women who he feared were going to attack him with Naloxone, kits for which they carried. Naloxone is a drug used to reverse opioid overdoses.
Valleau said Allan has paranoid schizophrenia but has been off his medication because he dislikes how it makes him feel.
“It’s too expensive for me right now,” said Allan, who currently lives in a shelter.
The conditional discharge covers 12 months. He is to have no contact with the victims.
