A man has appeared in court after a video of him struggling with police officers and claiming pepper spray “tastes like JD” went viral online.
Michael Wood was seen jostling with the officers outside Sainsbury’s on George Street in the footage, which has been viewed millions of times across social media.
At one point, the 39-year-old appears to open his mouth and swallow the PAVA spray, which is being dispensed into his face at close range.
But far from subduing him, the spray seems only to spur Wood on as he boasts the powerful irritant tastes similar to the popular Tennessee bourbon Jack Daniels.
Watch the shocking video
That tastes like JD 😂 pic.twitter.com/pfqGuhVmdu
— Frankie (@F_Mac14) August 14, 2023
Now, Wood has appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted a string of charges over the incident, which happened on May 25.
He pled guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing, acting in an aggressive manner, challenging a Sainsbury’s employee to fight and refusing to leave.
Wood further admitted assaulting a female police officer by spitting in her face and a male officer by kicking him on the body.
He also admitted resisting, obstructing or hindering the two male officers seen in the video by tensing his arms and preventing handcuffs from being applied.
The viral footage, which lasts around 30 seconds and has been viewed more than 2.4 million times, starts with Wood being sprayed with PAVA while he struggles with the two male police officers.
Foaming at the mouth, he is then heard to say: “That tastes like JD, eh.”
Wood then ignores an officer’s demands to get on the ground and, after spotting more police officers arriving at the scene, repeatedly shouts: “Hey you guys!”
He is then wrestled to the pavement and the video ends.
The clip quickly went viral on social media, including TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), with many commenters noting that Wood may be referencing Sloth from The Goonies, who also famously shouted “Hey you guys” during the classic 1985 movie.
Sheriff Graham Buchanan deferred sentence on Wood, of HMP Grampian, for reports and remanded him in custody.
Defence agent Alex Burn reserved mitigation until the sentencing hearing next month.
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