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| ‘Breaking Bad-inspired’ murder plot: delivery of toxin sparked terror raids | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The delivery of a deadly toxin ordered online by a woman who was trying to poison her mother in a Breaking Bad-inspired murder plot sparked terror raids across London, a court heard. | The delivery of a deadly toxin ordered online by a woman who was trying to poison her mother in a Breaking Bad-inspired murder plot sparked terror raids across London, a court heard. |
| Kuntal Patel, 37, allegedly tried to kill magistrate Meena Patel by lacing her Diet Coke with the deadly toxin abrin after her mother “forbade” her to marry her boyfriend, Niraj Kakad. Her mother, who sits on the bench at Thames magistrates court, drank the poison last December, but survived. | Kuntal Patel, 37, allegedly tried to kill magistrate Meena Patel by lacing her Diet Coke with the deadly toxin abrin after her mother “forbade” her to marry her boyfriend, Niraj Kakad. Her mother, who sits on the bench at Thames magistrates court, drank the poison last December, but survived. |
| Jurors heard that Patel duped her close friend Julie Wong into having the package containing the deadly poison delivered to her home in Streatham, south London. She pretended it was a romantic gift of an expensive candle from Kakad which she did not want her mother to discover. | Jurors heard that Patel duped her close friend Julie Wong into having the package containing the deadly poison delivered to her home in Streatham, south London. She pretended it was a romantic gift of an expensive candle from Kakad which she did not want her mother to discover. |
| However, the jury heard how the FBI had tracked the sale to London, and alerted British counter-terrorism police. | However, the jury heard how the FBI had tracked the sale to London, and alerted British counter-terrorism police. |
| Detectives and specialist officers trained in dealing with biological and nuclear substances searched Patel’s east London home on 26 January this year. They also raided Wong’s home and that of her neighbour, who entirely innocently took delivery of the package. | Detectives and specialist officers trained in dealing with biological and nuclear substances searched Patel’s east London home on 26 January this year. They also raided Wong’s home and that of her neighbour, who entirely innocently took delivery of the package. |
| Detective Constable Simon Thomas said: “Due to the nature of the substances we were seeking, we had CBRN officers trained for dealing with chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear material. They wore protective equipment.” | Detective Constable Simon Thomas said: “Due to the nature of the substances we were seeking, we had CBRN officers trained for dealing with chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear material. They wore protective equipment.” |
| He said the main concern of the counter-terrorism officers was if there was “any immediate threat from the substance or people in the address”. | He said the main concern of the counter-terrorism officers was if there was “any immediate threat from the substance or people in the address”. |
| He said the home was immediately evacuated and cleared to make sure it was “sterile”. | He said the home was immediately evacuated and cleared to make sure it was “sterile”. |
| Patel was quizzedquestioned by officers about the package she received which allegedly contained the poison and arrested her initially on suspicion of keeping abrin without permission. | Patel was quizzedquestioned by officers about the package she received which allegedly contained the poison and arrested her initially on suspicion of keeping abrin without permission. |
| Ms Wong told Southwark crown court that Patel was bullied and beaten by her mother because of her relationship With Kakad. In a series of emails and texts, Patel confided in her friend about the “relentless” abuse and violence she suffered at her mother’s hands. In one message in August 2012 she said: “My life is so messed up right now, I actually wish I was dead or wish my mum died. I hate her so much.” | Ms Wong told Southwark crown court that Patel was bullied and beaten by her mother because of her relationship With Kakad. In a series of emails and texts, Patel confided in her friend about the “relentless” abuse and violence she suffered at her mother’s hands. In one message in August 2012 she said: “My life is so messed up right now, I actually wish I was dead or wish my mum died. I hate her so much.” |
| The following month, on 24 September, she messaged Wong again about her mother, saying: “She got what she wanted, ruining my life. She should be happy. She blatantly said to me ‘I don’t care if you’re unhappy because I made the right decision’. | The following month, on 24 September, she messaged Wong again about her mother, saying: “She got what she wanted, ruining my life. She should be happy. She blatantly said to me ‘I don’t care if you’re unhappy because I made the right decision’. |
| “She keeps bringing it up, I don’t. She just sits on the sofa crying, I hope she dies soon.” | “She keeps bringing it up, I don’t. She just sits on the sofa crying, I hope she dies soon.” |
| Shocked, Wong replied: “Oh fuck Kuntal, you didn’t just say that?” | Shocked, Wong replied: “Oh fuck Kuntal, you didn’t just say that?” |
| Patel shot back: “What, it is true. I’m sorry, I won’t talk about it. It’s killing me. I really miss Niraj and we would have been really happy together.” | Patel shot back: “What, it is true. I’m sorry, I won’t talk about it. It’s killing me. I really miss Niraj and we would have been really happy together.” |
| Peter Rowlands, defending, said Patel’s mother inflicted a “war of abuse and physical violence” on her daughter, who lost weight and became suicidal under the strain. Patel, who worked as a graphic designer for Barclays Bank, complained that her mother banned her from seeing her boyfriend and beat her. | Peter Rowlands, defending, said Patel’s mother inflicted a “war of abuse and physical violence” on her daughter, who lost weight and became suicidal under the strain. Patel, who worked as a graphic designer for Barclays Bank, complained that her mother banned her from seeing her boyfriend and beat her. |
| In July 2012 Patel confided in an email to Wong that her mother beat her. She wrote: “I can’t hit her back. My life is so worthless I just sit and take it because I deserve it and my life is not going to change at all. | In July 2012 Patel confided in an email to Wong that her mother beat her. She wrote: “I can’t hit her back. My life is so worthless I just sit and take it because I deserve it and my life is not going to change at all. |
| “She just sits and shouts at me like a bulldog. No reason or logic apart from being a psycho.” | “She just sits and shouts at me like a bulldog. No reason or logic apart from being a psycho.” |
| Ms Wong said Patel sent her photographs of her bruised arm after her mother hit her. | Ms Wong said Patel sent her photographs of her bruised arm after her mother hit her. |
| She told jurors that Patel had been hit by her mother “a few times”, adding: “There was one time she sent me a picture message. It was of bruising on her arm. She said it was caused by her mother.” | She told jurors that Patel had been hit by her mother “a few times”, adding: “There was one time she sent me a picture message. It was of bruising on her arm. She said it was caused by her mother.” |
| Wong said her close friend became increasingly depressed and her weight plummeted in the two years before the alleged poisoning. | Wong said her close friend became increasingly depressed and her weight plummeted in the two years before the alleged poisoning. |
| She told the court encouraged her friend to break free of her mother’s stranglehold, and said she had no suspicions when she asked her to accept a package for her at her home last November. | She told the court encouraged her friend to break free of her mother’s stranglehold, and said she had no suspicions when she asked her to accept a package for her at her home last November. |
| Patel initially told her the package was a watch that Kakad was posting to her from the US. | Patel initially told her the package was a watch that Kakad was posting to her from the US. |
| When the black A3-sized package arrived at Wong’s neighbour’s house on 10 December last year, Patel changed her story and said it was an expensive candle. | When the black A3-sized package arrived at Wong’s neighbour’s house on 10 December last year, Patel changed her story and said it was an expensive candle. |
| Wong said: “She told me it was a candle given to her from Niraj. It was a memory for her. It was a very expensive candle. | Wong said: “She told me it was a candle given to her from Niraj. It was a memory for her. It was a very expensive candle. |
| “They were at a hotel one time, she liked this candle, he remembered it and bought her one.” | “They were at a hotel one time, she liked this candle, he remembered it and bought her one.” |
| Rowlands, defending, told jurors that Patel had an extremely strained relationship with her mother, who “treated her like a child” and gave her curfews. | Rowlands, defending, told jurors that Patel had an extremely strained relationship with her mother, who “treated her like a child” and gave her curfews. |
| The day before the package arrived she had told Wong she was desperately unhappy and considering “killing herself”, jurors heard. | The day before the package arrived she had told Wong she was desperately unhappy and considering “killing herself”, jurors heard. |
| Patel, of Plaistow, east London, denies trying to murder her mother and acquiring a biological agent or toxin. She has pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to acquire a biological agent or toxin last December. Patel’s best friend of 20 years Darcia Babb, who is a detective constable attached to the Met’s Operation Trident squad, said her friend suffered “mental torment”. | Patel, of Plaistow, east London, denies trying to murder her mother and acquiring a biological agent or toxin. She has pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to acquire a biological agent or toxin last December. Patel’s best friend of 20 years Darcia Babb, who is a detective constable attached to the Met’s Operation Trident squad, said her friend suffered “mental torment”. |
| Babb swapped a string of messages with her in which she urged her to move away from her mother and give her relationship with Kakad a proper go. | Babb swapped a string of messages with her in which she urged her to move away from her mother and give her relationship with Kakad a proper go. |
| But Patel branded her mother a “psycho” and said she feared she would kill herself if she left. | But Patel branded her mother a “psycho” and said she feared she would kill herself if she left. |
| In one message Patel said: “You don’t know what she’s capable of. She is a psycho. She will go all out to ruin me or anyone associated with me. I’m scared now my mum will kill herself.” | In one message Patel said: “You don’t know what she’s capable of. She is a psycho. She will go all out to ruin me or anyone associated with me. I’m scared now my mum will kill herself.” |
| She later texted her friend complaining about her mother, writing: “I told her I still love him and she said over her dead body.” | She later texted her friend complaining about her mother, writing: “I told her I still love him and she said over her dead body.” |
| Babb desperately urged her friend to pluck up the courage to leave. She told her in a message: “Make a decision, are you going to stay or leave? I fear she will kill you.” | Babb desperately urged her friend to pluck up the courage to leave. She told her in a message: “Make a decision, are you going to stay or leave? I fear she will kill you.” |
| Patel replied: “She is being so irrational and crazy, she might kill herself.” | Patel replied: “She is being so irrational and crazy, she might kill herself.” |
| Rowlands said things came to a violent head in August last year, when Patel hit her “lowest ebb”. | Rowlands said things came to a violent head in August last year, when Patel hit her “lowest ebb”. |
| He told jurors: “Last August all hell broke loose, a terrible, abusive row. Her mum took away her passport to try to stop her leaving.” The trial continues. | He told jurors: “Last August all hell broke loose, a terrible, abusive row. Her mum took away her passport to try to stop her leaving.” The trial continues. |