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Man guilty of vodka poison plot | Man guilty of vodka poison plot |
(9 minutes later) | |
A man has been convicted of sending poison in vodka bottles through the post as part of a campaign for Scottish independence. | |
Wayne Cook, 45, of Tyldesley, Greater Manchester, had denied using noxious substances to cause harm. | Wayne Cook, 45, of Tyldesley, Greater Manchester, had denied using noxious substances to cause harm. |
Manchester Crown Court heard he was one of two men who sent bottles of vodka filled with caustic soda to a Scottish journalist and a Lancashire councillor. | Manchester Crown Court heard he was one of two men who sent bottles of vodka filled with caustic soda to a Scottish journalist and a Lancashire councillor. |
Steven Robinson, a Scot, pleaded guilty to the same charges. | Steven Robinson, a Scot, pleaded guilty to the same charges. |
The two packages were sent in April last year to John Wright, a member of Blackburn with Darwen Council, and Scottish Daily Express journalist Myra Philp. | The two packages were sent in April last year to John Wright, a member of Blackburn with Darwen Council, and Scottish Daily Express journalist Myra Philp. |
Be in no doubt these men are terrorists Det Ch Supt Tony Porter | Be in no doubt these men are terrorists Det Ch Supt Tony Porter |
Royal Mail staff intercepted the parcel to Mr Wright but the second made it to Ms Philp. | Royal Mail staff intercepted the parcel to Mr Wright but the second made it to Ms Philp. |
It was accompanied by a note signed by the Scottish National Liberation Army (SNLA). | It was accompanied by a note signed by the Scottish National Liberation Army (SNLA). |
The note threatened that English people would be killed "at random and with no discrimination or compunction" in order to convince the British Government to withdraw from Scotland. | The note threatened that English people would be killed "at random and with no discrimination or compunction" in order to convince the British Government to withdraw from Scotland. |
There was also a threat to poison England's water supplies. | There was also a threat to poison England's water supplies. |
Nerve damage | Nerve damage |
Dr John Jackson, a toxicology expert told the court that the concentration of the caustic soda in the two miniature bottles was so high that the "worst-case scenario" for the intended recipients was death. | Dr John Jackson, a toxicology expert told the court that the concentration of the caustic soda in the two miniature bottles was so high that the "worst-case scenario" for the intended recipients was death. |
He said it could also have caused blindness, nerve damage or serious burns to the skin. | He said it could also have caused blindness, nerve damage or serious burns to the skin. |
A serious risk would have been posed to members of the public or postal staff if the bottles had broken in transit, the court was told. | A serious risk would have been posed to members of the public or postal staff if the bottles had broken in transit, the court was told. |
Det Ch Supt Tony Porter, head of Greater Manchester Police's counter-terrorism unit, speaking after the verdict, said: "Be in no doubt these men are terrorists. | Det Ch Supt Tony Porter, head of Greater Manchester Police's counter-terrorism unit, speaking after the verdict, said: "Be in no doubt these men are terrorists. |
"This was not some clumsy joke - it was a serious attempt to cause real harm and intimidation." | "This was not some clumsy joke - it was a serious attempt to cause real harm and intimidation." |