UK - 'Date rape' drug maker used bosses' lab

[porchy]

[top]'Date rape' drug maker used bosses' lab

A YOUNG scientist was caught using his company laboratories at night to concoct an illegal “date rape” drug.
Ellis Hawkins, 20, downloaded the recipe for notorious drug GHB off the internet – then stayed behind outside normal working hours at a Bridgend-based company to make it.
Cardiff Crown Court heard Hawkins was caught when his supervisor discovered three glass jars full of clear liquid on his desk.
Police analysed the liquids and found it was gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid, known as GHB, which has previously gained notoriety for its use in knocking out “date rape” victims.
Prosecutor Richard Evans told the court: “The drug has been linked to several ‘date rape’ offences due to the effect when mixed with alcohol.
“It can cause nausea, vomiting, muscle slackness and even coma.
“Hawkins and an accomplice downloaded the recipe for GHB from the internet.
“They bought chemical ingredients over the web and then used the laboratory where he works to make the concoction.”
Hawkins was immediately dismissed from his £16,000-a-year job as a lab technician with Environmental Services Group at Wildmill, Bridgend.
Police seized Hawkins’ mobile phone to track down his accomplice Matthew Porch.
Mr Evans said: “Detectives examined the phone and found a large number of drug-related messages on it.
“When Hawkins was interviewed he said he had been a drug user for many years and experimented with most drugs.
“The pair wanted to make GHB because it was simple to make and it was a drug they would like to try.”
Hawkins and Porch, 19, told police they made the drug for their own personal use but were prepared to sell it for profit.
Mr Evans said: “They made efforts to sell the drug and offered samples. They intended to use a contact called Jack M to distribute the drug in London.”
Cardiff Crown Court heard the GHB seized from the laboratory had a street value of between £150 and £230. Hawkins, of Ogmore Vale, near Bridgend, and Porch, of Brackla, Bridgend, admitted possessing a class C drug and being concerned in the supply.
They were both jailed for 12 months, suspended for two years.
Recorder Peter Murphy QC told them: “Boys, what were you thinking? You may have thrown away your lives. I am prepared to give you a second chance as you are bright and intelligent young men. Your previous clean character has saved you from prison.”
The Environmental Services Group has 900 staff at its 16 UK offices testing soil for development and building sites.
GHB is an acid that occurs naturally in the nervous system, while small amounts can also be found in wine, beef, citrus fruits and animals.
The drug became popular in the 1990s club scene where it was often referred to as liquid Ecstasy, causing intoxication or having an anesthetic effect on users, although large doses can prove fatal. As it has no smell it also gained notoriety as a date-rape drug that could be slipped into unwary revellers’ drinks. Victims may not immediately remember being assaulted.

Jan 13 2009 WalesOnline

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/so...1466-22680137/

[Sven99]

Jesus Christ. Do journalists writing GHB articles get paid based on the number of times they fit 'date-rape' into an article? I'm going to write in and object.

[Sippin40oz]

What makes it worse is that very few GHB date rape cases are actually commited. Its all hype and myth by the daily toilet papers!

[cra$h]

it sounds like this kid just got reckless. Why the hell would someone leave a jar of GHB on their desk? some disguise....... of course this article sounds pretty bent. the truth would be nice.

[Jasim]

Originally Posted by cra$h

it sounds like this kid just got reckless. Why the hell would someone leave a jar of GHB on their desk? some disguise....... of course this article sounds pretty bent. the truth would be nice.

Swim totally agrees, that just sounds stupid. Swim has considered leaving containers to evap under a fume hood before, but was always too concerned that someone would question it (though not likely since many peeps leave old solvents to evap under hoods in swims lab). Leaving it out on a desk though, is just plain stupid. Swim is guessing it wasn't even in a laboratory container either (says glass jars). That's just really suspicious.

[Tony Williams]

Could this guy not just of made it at home and not of been caught?

[cra$h]

stealing lab equipment could have been a risk. It sounds like the guy had a good plan, until txt msging, and jars of ghb that he should have taken home dicked him over. plus why would you download a guide, when there's one online?

[chillinwill]

Please note that the way we post news has changed, because of our main news page. You can find the full instructions here.

The most important changes are:

• Articles are no longer posted in quotes.
• The introduction of the article should be in bold.
• Images should be added if possible and placed in the article, following the instructions linked to above and here.
• Information about the article, like link, author, date should be posted below the article.
• Your personal comments about the article can be posted either in quotes at the end of the article or in a separate post.
• The news forums may contain news articles only.

Please be so kind to review your articles and correct this.

Further it may be good to know that recent articles with the highest thread ratings show up on the main news page. So without ratings, many people will not see it. So please rate news treads.
The main news page is accessible from the tabs on the top of any DF page.

[porchy]

OK so I can clarify anything that people may be unsure about as **** one of the people in this article. The glass jars (yes real laboratory containers) were not on his desk but in his own room, in his chemical cupboard. The guide was 'downloaded' by yours faithfully from a website. The only problem was that he forgot to delete the messages of his phone, needless to say that I had when summoned to the police station but by that point it was too late.

If anybody else has any other questions they would like to ask please ask them in a polite manner.

[Jasim]

Swim didn't mean to come off as rude. Apologies. Also, swim would still recommend against self-incrimination and revealing personal details.

Swim was wondering what exactly led to the suspicion?

[cra$h]

Sorry if I seemed to be rude, it was just meer speculation. But this whole article seems out of whack. But if the jars were in the privacy of one's home, how did the boss find and report them? Rewriting the article would probably be the easiest way, since there's so many variables.

[Routemaster Flash]

For fuck's sake, hasn't GHB been used in something like ONE confirmed drug-enabled rape in the UK, ever? And how often do you read articles about the "date-rape drug, alcohol"? Gah.

[porchy]

The medical recipe was found in one of the draws in the laboratory - foolishly left there.

Also sorry when I said in his own room, I meant in the place of work.