Bullshit lar. I kena before a few times in the past and it's not like everyone else in my household got it from me also.

It is generally not an airborne virus. It's spread by its discharge. The infected has to like rub their eyes than touch something else, than you go touch the same thing than rub your own eyes. All this can be prevented by proper hygiene practices.

It is possible for the virus to become airborne if the infected also has a cold as well, but that's an unrelated disease as conjunctivitis does usually cause a cold as well.

TLDR you won't get it just from being in close proximity to someone infected.

But I will accept he's too sick to come to court cos I do know how it feels after all.