A TRANENT man will have to wear an electronic tag after he admitted spitting at police officers while claiming he had AIDS.

Stefan Heron has been sentenced to wear the tag and stay within his home between the hours of 7pm and 7am for the next six months following an appearance at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last week.

Heron has also been told to carry out 185 hours of unpaid work in the community over the next 18 months and will be under the supervision of the social work department for two years.

Heron, of Fowler Street, previously pleaded guilty to three offences and had not guilty pleas accepted to a further four charges.

The court was told that the 37-year-old was arrested following an alleged incident at a pharmacy in Edinburgh in May.

Police were called out to deal with the alleged incident at the city’s MacMillan Square and Heron soon began shouting, swearing and acting in a threatening manner.

He shouted offensive remarks and threats of violence towards the police before he was arrested and placed in handcuffs.

He then proceeded to assault two of the officers by repeatedly spitting at them, spitting on the handcuffs and telling the officers he had AIDS.

Heron was also discovered to have a knife in his possession when officers searched him during the incident at a branch of Lloyds Pharmacy on May 5.

Co-accused Gemma Thomson, 38, of Macbeth Moir Road, Musselburgh, had not guilty pleas to three charges accepted by the Crown and she walked free from the dock.