Four men have admitted to spraying a noxious substance at Heathrow Airport, causing 21 people to require medical treatment. Tyrone Richards, 31, Anton Clarke-Butcher, 25, Omoneke Whyte, 30, and Denzel Eduardo, 28, pleaded guilty to affray on Tuesday at Isleworth Crown Court following the incident on December 7 last year.
Details of the Incident
Ambulance staff treated 21 individuals who were hit with CS spray in a multi-storey car park at Terminal Three of the west London airport. Five of those treated were taken to hospital, according to the London Ambulance Service. CS spray is a man-made chemical used by UK police forces to temporarily incapacitate people, similar to pepper spray.
Prosecutor Mark Trafford KC told the court: “In the course of this affray, it is accepted by these defendants that CS gas was used and discharged in and outside of the airport, as a result of which two suitcases were taken from the complainants.”
Impact and Response
Judge Kwame Inyundo said the incident caused “injury” to the complainants and the wider public, and affected the functioning of the airport at the time. The Metropolitan Police previously confirmed that armed officers responded to the scene, but the incident was not treated as terrorism.
Passengers faced disruption, including delays to shuttle buses and trains. According to the UK Health Security Agency, CS gas is an irritant that can cause a burning sensation in the eyes, chest tightness, coughing, and sneezing. It is one of the substances sometimes referred to as tear gas.
The four defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on September 11 at the same court.
