‘I hope you get AIDS’: Spitting Leeds thug who claimed racist police targeted him told to serve his sentence

Bernard Jima was handed nine months’ jail in August after he also tried to bite another officer.

The 43-year-old appealed the sentence and appeared before a panel at Leeds Crown Court this week, claiming he had been targeted by racist officers whom he thought had been “heavy-handed”.

The court heard that officers had been called to a shop on Harehills Road on the evening of July 19 last year, amid claims that Jima was demanding he be given alcohol for free.

It was then reported that he left the shop and caused damage to a cash machine outside.

He resisted when police arrived to arrest him, who took him to the ground to get handcuffs on him.

He then tried to bite one officer after racially abusing him, before spitting in the eye of the other and making the AIDS remark.

The officers then had to place a spit hood over his head.

Jima denied trying to bite the officer and spitting, saying he was only clearing his throat having been pepper sprayed by the officers.

The court heard he has 46 previous offences including assaults on emergency workers.

He was given the nine-month sentence at Leeds Magistrates’ Court for two counts of assaulting emergency workers, racially-aggravated behaviour and possession of cannabis.

He appeared in court via video link from HMP Moorland in South Yorkshire, where he is serving his sentence.

Mitigating, Martin Morrow admitted that the appellant has a “long-standing issue with alcohol”.

He added: “I do not condone his behaviour, clearly it was unpleasant but nevertheless when he was detained by police he thought they were heavy-handed.

"He had a broken hip at the time and he was assisted by crutches.

"In his own words, he says he has been racially-profiled by the police.”

After deliberating, the panel, led by Judge Neil Clark, decided that the sentence he received was justified.

Judge Clark said: “He has a huge record for many offences of this type.

"The district judge (at the magistrates’ court) appropriately followed the guidelines and the sentence will remain.”