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.