Butcher in dock over 'joke' anthrax letter

A businessman triggered a major alert at a sorting office with a “joke” salt-filled letter sent to a friend in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on America and the world-wide anthrax scare, a court heard today.

It began when the innocent-looking manila envelope started leaking its “white powder” contents over postman Alan Owen’s hand as he sorted mail for the first delivery of the day.

After telling a manager what had happened and heading for the nearest sink to wash his hands, a special police team, formed to deal with chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear incidents, was called in and promptly evacuated the place.

Although officers quickly established the envelope’s granular contents were harmless, it caused “widespread inconvenience”, London’s Southwark Crown Court was told.

Not only was the Wembley sorting office in north London out of action for the best part of two hours, but 31,000 Consignia customers had to make do with a late first delivery and a cancelled second one.

In the dock is kosher butcher Harry Goldstein, 38, of Stanley Road, Salford, Greater Manchester, who denies one count of causing a public nuisance in October last year.

Opening what is expected to be a week-long trial, Tracy Ayling, prosecuting, began by reminding the jury of six men and six women of September 11, when Islamic terrorists hijacked passenger planes and used two to demolish the World Trade Centre and a third to attack the Pentagon.

“You will remember where you were and what you were doing, and, no doubt, the news footage that went out in the evening.

“What you may not remember…is a very real threat of biological warfare weapons, particularly anthrax, a substance that looks like powder, is extremely dangerous and can cause death.

“There was a scare in the US of it being sent through the post. It happened on a number of occasions. People died. People were extremely ill, and there was at the time a world-wide threat in relation to such substances,” she said.