62-year-old Bath man is fined £200 for spitting at shop worker

A Bath man going through a “mental health crisis” assaulted a shop worker by spitting at her, city magistrates heard.

The incident on 6th December 2024 at the Spar in Rivers Street Place, close to Bruce Saunders’ flat in Ballance Street, was captured on CCTV.

The spit hit the staff member on the shoulder and chest.

Saunders, who is 62, appeared in court in custody on Wednesday, 9th July, maintaining that he had not received the summons, known as a postal requisition, to attend court.

He admitted one charge of assault and another one was withdrawn. Saunders also denied using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress, and that charge was dismissed.

Magistrates were told that Saunders, who has a PhD in mechanical engineering, has a very serious mental health disorder and takes antipsychotic injections.

He had been sectioned for eight weeks shortly after the offence.

Saunders, who had no previous convictions, was fined £200 and ordered to pay £100 compensation, along with £85 prosecution costs and a surcharge of £80.