A Kingston man flicked his blood at police and told them he had AIDS, hours after proposing to his girlfriend at a plush seafront hotel.

Paul Sheppard, of Burritt Road, tried to headbutt Peter Somlyai, manager of The Grand in Brighton, after getting angry about other guests.

He smashed up the toilet seat in his room, cutting himself, and dripped blood through the hotel. He told staff he was going to “f*** them up”.

His fiancee Maggie, who he has known for two years, was “in fear” and booked herself into another hotel.

Police went to arrest him, and tried to put bandages on his wounds. He boasted: “I’m well known in Kingston, I will knock you out and fight you.”

Surrey Comet:

Paul Sheppard leaves court with his fiancee Maggie (left) and his defence solicitor Ola Yusuf

During two hours of chaos, Sheppard bit an officer on the knee, shouted homophobic abuse and foul language, spat at them, and vomited in the police van.

At one point he forced his blood-spattered hands across an officer’s face, telling them his blood was infected.

But his abuse came to an end when he was tasered by police at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, where he had also abused staff.

The 46-year-old was ordered to pay compensation to the officers and was given a 14-week suspended prison sentence at Brighton Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Martina Sherlock, prosecuting, said police were called to The Grand at 2.40am on January 12 and said hotel staff had seen Sheppard and his fiancee in the bar sipping champagne earlier in the night.

She said: “He started getting annoyed with the hotel guests before they went to their room. He then became like a man possessed.

Surrey Comet:

Paul Sheppard leaves Brighton Magistrates Court with his fiancee Maggie

“His fiancee left the hotel in fear of what he might do and went to another hotel. Blood was spreading across the carpet and he was leaving a trail of blood around the hotel.

“He threatened to headbutt a police officer and flicked blood and said ‘right, there you go, I have got AIDS’.”

But the next day in custody he cried and told officers he had no memory of the previous night’s events.

Ola Yusuf, defending, said her client had not had alcohol for a year because of his medication and does not have HIV. She said his fiancee was “not afraid” on the night.

She said Sheppard, who has 37 convictions for 105 previous offences, could not explain his actions and is not homophobic.

Sheppard had a “chaotic” past with abuse in care growing up, she said.

He was given 14-week suspended sentences for homophobic assaults on two PCs, and 12-week suspended sentences for assaults on Mr Somlyai and two other PCs.

He must pay £375 compensation to the officers and £85 court costs.