Industry | 2009.04.16
Man arrested after crown court is doused with garlic oil
Two courtrooms forced to close after smell left defendants, staff and barristers complaining of nausea and headaches
Police arrested a man today after garlic oil was spread around a crown court, causing hearings to be abandoned.
Bristol crown court was overcome by the potent smell on Tuesday, causing at least two courtrooms to close.
It is thought garlic oil was spread along radiators and dropped in plant pots, causing defendants, court staff and barristers to leave the building complaining of nausea and headaches.
Investigators took samples of the substance for analysis yesterday after CCTV captured a man dousing the areas with liquid.
The Ministry of Justice said it was reviewing security at the court.
The court has a metal detector archway and security guards who scan all visitors with a hand detector as well as an x-ray machine that scans every item taken into the building.
The substance was found to be harmless but the court had to bring in industrial cleaners yesterday because the smell was still lingering.
The 50-year-old man was in custody being questioned.
Avon and Somerset Police would only say he was arrested in connection with the incident and that they were treating it as an act of criminal damage or an offence of administering a noxious substance.
For more information, please visit
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/16/garlic-attack-bristol-crown-court
