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Officer's Ordeal: HIV Blood Sprayed in Face
22 Nov
Summary
- An officer was sprayed with HIV-positive blood in the eye and mouth.
- The incident occurred while attending a patient at Craigavon Area Hospital.
- Over 2,600 assaults on officers were recorded in the past year.
A police officer has recounted the significant stress experienced after being intentionally sprayed with blood confirmed to be HIV positive. The distressing incident took place in August at Craigavon Area Hospital while the officer was attending to a detained patient. During the encounter, the patient became agitated, leading to a cannula being forcefully removed.
The forceful removal caused the cannula to swing, spraying blood onto the attending officer and a fellow constable. The officer reported that the blood entered both their eye and mouth, heightening the immediate medical and psychological concern. This event underscores the risks faced by law enforcement personnel.
Data from the Police Service of Northern Ireland reveals that this assault is part of a larger trend. Between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025, a total of 2,630 assaults were registered against police officers, highlighting ongoing challenges to officer safety.
