Silence on ammonia find

Jail for 25-year-old who hid harmful liquid in Ribena bottle

A HAYES man has been jailed after police stopped him in his car, only to find he had a noxious substance in a bottle of Ribena.

Cristobal Abeso, 25, of Leamington Place, Hayes, was sentenced to 15 months in prison at Isleworth Crown Court on Tuesday, May 24 for concealing harmful ammonia in the soft drink bottle.

Abeso couldn’t give officers a reason for carrying the substance, but pleaded guilty to possession of a prohibited weapon capable of discharging a noxious substance, possession of a pointed/bladed article and possession of Class B drugs, amphetamines.

The discovery of the ammonia was made by officers who were carrying out a stop and search, when they stopped a car in Beauvais Terrace, Northolt, on Thursday, April 21, at around 8pm.

Abeso was driving the vehicle and he and the car were searched, where a bottle found to contain the corrosive substance was spotted on the seat next to him.

Ammonia is a hazardous substance often used in cleaning products. Exposure to high concentrations causes burning of the nose, mouth and eyes.

Further analysis of the contents confirmed that it contained ammonia and Abeso also had a lock knife in his pocket, as well as Class B drugs, in his possession.

He was charged after the stop and search and subsequently pleaded guilty at court.

Detective Sergeant Luke Williams of Acton CID, said: “Unless there is a valid reason for possessing substances of this sort, criminals who think they can carry them with impunity and without fear of arrest are strongly mistaken.

“Abeso has been convicted of a serious offence as he was unable to provide officers with a suitable reason as to why he was carrying this liquid.

“The Met will robustly deal with anybody found carrying any form of noxious substance.”