A drug dealer who was caught with party bags containing canisters of laughing gas has become the first person to be jailed for possession of the class C drug since it was outlawed.
Thomas Salton, 30, from Brentwood in Essex was found with about 60 small canisters of nitrous oxide known as ‘laughing gas’, 48 one-gram bags of ketamine, and £39,000 in cash when police pulled his Range Rover over on 1 December 2023.
A further 408 nitrous oxide canisters and 965 grams of ketamine were later found at a property Salton was renting 10 miles from his home.
Salton will spend 35 months in prison.
He pleaded guilty to drug possession with intent to supply at a hearing last month and was sentenced today at Basildon Crown Court.
The ban on nitrous oxide came into force in November as part of a campaign to tackle anti-social behaviour.
Nitrous oxide, also nicknamed “hippy crack”, is now a class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
Alex Hinds, a prosecutor for CPS East of England, said: “The evidence against Thomas Salton was overwhelming and this case is an example of all parts of the justice system working together to get drugs and those who sell them off the streets.
“The change in the law coupled with the actions of the police has allowed the CPS to present the strongest case in court and put Thomas Salton out of business and into prison.
“Nitrous oxide is a dangerous drug and hopefully this first conviction will deter those thinking of buying or selling it.”
Read more: Doctors warn about dangers of nitrous oxide Nitrous oxide: What you need to know
The CPS said the ketamine was divided into bags marked with a “K” and put inside the Christmas party bags along with two canisters of nitrous oxide.
At the sentencing, the CPS said it would begin legal proceedings to recover any money Salton had obtained from his crime.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt says the former net zero chief is “wrong” after he quit the Tory party in protest of the government’s decision to ramp up oil and gas drilling.
Chris Skidmore resigned as an MP on Friday, accusing the government of “rowing ever further back from its climate commitments”.
Speaking on Saturday, Mr Hunt – who praised Mr Skidmore’s work as energy minister on climate change – said he “profoundly” disagrees with his reason for stepping down.
“The point is, I think he is wrong on North Sea oil and gas,” he told the BBC.
“When you have the problems in the Red Sea [with shipping routes under attack], it is very important for energy security that we have domestic sources of that kind of energy as we go into transition.”
It comes ahead of a vote in parliament on Monday on the Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill, which, if passed, would mandate that licences for oil and gas projects in the North Sea are awarded annually.
Mr Skidmore said he could not vote for legislation that “clearly promotes the production of new oil and gas”.
Read more: There’s a lot of noise in the debate over North Sea oil and gas – but numbers tell a different story
Image: Chris Skidmore quit over new legislation ‘that promotes the production of new oil and gas’
“To fail to act, rather than merely speak out, is to tolerate a status quo that cannot be sustained,” he said in his resignation statement.
But Mr Hunt said the independent panel for climate change state the UK will still get a “significant proportion” of energy from fossil fuels “even when we reach net zero in 2050”.
“And domestic oil and gas is four times cleaner than imported oil and gas,” he added.
Mr Skidmore’s decision leaves Prime Minister Rishi Sunak facing two tricky by-elections in early 2024, with another already in motion after voters last month ousted scandal-hit Peter Bone in Wellingborough.
Read more: Sunak ‘doubted Rwanda plan would stop boat crossings’ When could the next general election be?
Kingswood, in South Gloucestershire, had been held by Mr Skidmore since 2010, after beating second-placed Labour by 11,220 votes at the last general election in 2019.
But that margin is far smaller than in the last two by-election defeats Labour handed to the Tories, with a majority of more than 24,000 overturned in Mid Bedfordshire and more than 19,000 in Tamworth.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
3:59
Analysis: North Sea oil and gas
Labour says it will vote against Monday’s oil and gas legislation and has challenged Mr Sunak to call a general election rather than undergo more by-elections.
The prime minister has indicated the country will go to the polls in the second half of 2024.
Dangerous carbon monoxide alarms are being sold online, Which? has warned.
The consumer watchdog says devices that fail to detect high levels of the potentially lethal gas were found on eBay, Amazon, AliExpress and Wish.
Which? claims the government is failing to take “urgent action” to hold these marketplaces to account – and it first flagged one of the unsafe models to eBay seven years ago.
That device failed to respond to carbon monoxide in 10 out of 28 tests – and even when it did, the alarm was too quiet.
Image: Pic: Which?
A total of 149 listings for dangerous carbon monoxide alarms were discovered across the four websites – and all of them have now been removed.
eBay was the only company to disclose sales figures, and revealed at least 1,311 had been sold on its platform.
Five dangerous alarm models – all unbranded and made in China – featured prominently on these websites when the “cheapest first” filter was chosen, with some being offered for as little as £5.
One alarm failed to trigger 22 times when carbon monoxide was in the air, while another product didn’t sound in 15 separate tests.
Sue Davies, the watchdog’s head of consumer protection policy, said: “Which? has been raising concerns about dangerous CO alarms for years, yet online marketplaces continue to allow them on their sites and into people’s homes, despite the potentially fatal consequences.
“This is the latest in a long line of examples of unsafe products being readily available on online marketplaces, with far too little action taken by the platforms to prevent them being allowed for sale.
“The government cannot delay any longer. It must move at pace to establish new regulations that put consumer safety first and enable tough enforcement action against online marketplaces that break the rules.”
Read more from Sky News business: What’s happening with Etsy and its reserve system? Wilko’s disappearance would leave an enormous hole – analysis
Image: Pic: Which?
Avril and Gordon Samuel founded the Katie Haines Memorial Trust in 2010 following the death of their daughter from CO poisoning and have been campaigning for better awareness.
Avril said: “We have previously highlighted concerns about some carbon monoxide alarms being sold online, many coming from China, and campaigned vigorously about the need to purchase CO alarms only from reputable manufacturers and retailers.”
She added: “If the alarm is not to standard, this defence is negated and could have fatal results.”
Figures indicate that carbon monoxide poisoning has caused more than 200 accidental deaths in England and Wales in the last decade.
An Amazon spokesman said: “Safety is a top priority at Amazon. We require all products to comply with applicable laws and regulations and have developed industry-leading tools to prevent unsafe or non-compliant products from being listed in our stores.
“We have removed these products pending further investigation.”
Image: Pic: Which?
An eBay spokesman said: “We take the safety of our users very seriously and immediately removed the listings reported to us by Which?
“We prohibit unbranded and unsafe brands of smoke or carbon monoxide detectors. We only allow sellers to list approved brands of carbon monoxide detectors and have taken action against the sellers who breached this policy.
“We continuously review and update the measures in place to prevent the sale of unsafe products. We have also conducted further sweeps of our site to remove any similar listings.”
A Department for Business and Trade spokesman said: “We take public safety extremely seriously which is why we are consulting on modernising our product safety framework to hold online marketplaces to account, ensuring items sold online meet the same standards as on the high street.
“If businesses don’t comply with product safety regulations, the Office for Product Safety and Standards will take appropriate enforcement action such as ordering the removal of the product from the market.”
A woman has died almost two months after losing her husband following a suspected carbon monoxide leak at a villa in Spain.
The body of Jaime Carsi, 40, was discovered by emergency crews at the property in Majorca on 6 May.
Wife Mary Somerville, 39, was found to be in a serious condition next to him and was taken to Manacor Hospital for treatment.
It has since been announced that Ms Somerville passed away on 2 July at St Columba’s Hospice Care in Edinburgh.
In a funeral notice via D Chisholm & Sons, Ms Somerville was described as the “beloved wife of the late Jaime, adored daughter of Helena and David, much-loved sister of Misha and John, also a dear sister-in-law, auntie and friend to many”.
Image: Jaime Carsi died in May
The date of her funeral at Inverness Crematorium is yet to be confirmed. Donations in memory of Ms Somerville are to be gifted to not-for-profit organisation The Art of Living UK.
The newlyweds, who lived in Edinburgh, were staying at a house in Cala Mesquida in the northeast of Majorca when the incident happened.
Read more: Man dies after suspected carbon monoxide leak at Majorca villa
Former Lloyds bank worker Ms Somerville, originally from Abriachan in the Scottish Highlands, taught yoga and breath work via The Art of Living Foundation in Edinburgh.
Mr Carsi, who described himself on social media as being from Madrid but living in Edinburgh, worked for a Scottish investment firm.
Edinburgh Interfaith Association paid tribute to Ms Somerville following her death.
Iain Stewart, executive director of Edinburgh Interfaith Association, said: “Many people will know Mary through her role as a teacher in the Art of Living.
“I will remember Mary for her warm and infectious personality and smile that would light up any room.
“Please join me in sending prayers to Mary’s family and loved ones.
“At this time as people of faith we are comforted by the belief that Mary will once again be united with her beloved Jaime.”
Nitrous oxide – also known as laughing gas or nos – is set to be banned as part of a government crackdown on anti-social behaviour.
But how are those silver canisters that litter the pavements used, why do people take it, and what are the health risks?
Here’s what you need to know about nitrous oxide.
What is nitrous oxide and how is it used?
Also known as laughing gas or nos, nitrous oxide is a gas that is inhaled, giving the user a short, sharp high.
The party drug is second to cannabis as the most commonly misused substance among 16 to 24-year-olds in England.
People will often transfer the gas into a balloon, but may inhale it directly from the canister.
Nitrous oxide slows down the brain and body’s responses.
It can create feelings of euphoria and result in giggling fits – hence the nickname laughing gas – but can also cause severe headaches, dizziness and paranoia.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
4:00
Laughing gas on sale illegally
What health problems can it cause?
Prolonged use can cause vitamin B12 deficiency, anaemia and nerve damage.
Doctors have also warned that using laughing gas could lead to spinal injuries.
An investigation by Sky News revealed there had been a spike in hospital admissions caused by people using the party drug.
Read more: How laughing gas addiction ‘messed up’ man’s life Misuse of party drug laughing gas ‘is no joke’, neurologist warns
Misuse of the substance is the most common cause for emergency admissions to the neurology ward, Dr David Nicholl, clinical lead for neurology at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, told Sky News in December.
He said people came to hospital experiencing difficulty walking, tingling in the hands and feet, slurred speech and sometimes seizures.
What legitimate uses does it have?
Small silver nitrous oxide canisters are often marketed in boxes labelled “cream chargers” – an indication of one of their more innocent uses.
Nitrous oxide is used in whipped cream chargers, particularly in professional kitchens, as a propellant to whip cream.
It can be used to get more oxygen into a car engine – helping it to go faster.
When combined with oxygen it is also used as an anaesthetic in medical and dental settings.
How do people get hold of it?
The undercover investigation also found it was easy to buy nitrous oxide from cornershops.
The shops didn’t ask how old those buying the canisters were or what they intended to do with them.
Every shop added in a packet of party balloons which are commonly used to inhale the gas.
Why is it being banned?
The ban is part of a crackdown on anti-social behaviour.
Announcing the ban on Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme, levelling up secretary Michael Gove said it was “absolutely vital that we deal with this scourge”.
He said: “I think anyone who has the opportunity to walk through our parks in our major cities will have seen these little silver canisters, which are examples of people not only spoiling public spaces but taking a drug which can have a psychological and neurological effect and one that contributes to antisocial behaviour overall.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
18:06
Nitrous oxide set to be banned
What does the ban mean?
Supplying nitrous oxide for its psychoactive effects is already illegal, but the ban means possession could result in prosecution.
The ban will be issued under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 but it has not yet been confirmed which class – A, B or C – the drug will fall under.
A current employee in British Gas’s debt recovery team has told Sky News that staff feel pressured to force the installation of prepayment energy meters on customers in debt.
The employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he had seen an increase in the number of indebted customers since the cost of living crisis began, and that debt recovery had become the “be all and end all”.
“My role is predominantly trying to get the most out of that debt collection process. And you know, within the last 18 months, the main focus of that has been the force-fitting of prepayment meters into customers’ homes,” he said.
“A lot of pressure is put on that side of the business to collect more debt, to fit more meters. A lot of time is spent figuring out why, if we haven’t been able to fit a meter, why and what we can do better.
“A lot of the time these customers that you speak to, they physically can’t pay. They don’t have any money. They can’t afford their energy. It is not about them not wanting to pay, they can’t pay.”
British Gas has suspended its use of court warrants to force the installation of prepayment meters following a Times investigation that revealed debt collectors had forced entry into the homes of vulnerable customers.
Energy regulator Ofgem has placed British Gas under investigation and asked all other household suppliers to suspend the practice pending a review.
Forced installation of prepayment meters is intended as a last resort for use against indebted customers who refuse to pay bills, or have failed to respond to attempts by suppliers to engage, usually over a period of more than six months.
The rise in energy prices in the last year has seen an increase in the number of prepayment installations, and ministers and charities have called on companies to stop using the court process.
Image: The whistleblower said he had seen an increase in vulnerable customers
The whistleblower said he had seen an increase in vulnerable customers who he believes were simply unable to meet higher energy costs.
“In the past, it’s been the vast majority of people who just avoided paying their energy, whereas now, the majority is people who are going out to work, they’ve got kids at home, and they’re trying their best, and the best isn’t good enough.
“And they’re sort of being forced into this situation where they’re technically at risk of being cut off unless they pile money, put money on their meter.”
Read more: The claims against British Gas prepayment meters explained Ofgem tells suppliers to suspend forced installation of prepayment meters Why problem of prepayment meters won’t go away for vulnerable energy customers
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
0:33
Centrica boss ‘truly sorry’
In a statement, British Gas’s parent company Centrica said: “We refute this description completely. There has been no increase in the number of prepayment meters we have installed in the last 12 months. Fitting a prepayment meter under warrant has always been a last resort when a customer will not engage with us despite multiple attempts over months.”
The company said installation data supported its position. British Gas supplies 27% of the UK market and has installed 16% of all prepayment meters, some 97,000 out of 600,000 in 2022. Around 20,000 of those installations were through the court warrant process with the balance requested or voluntary.
Sky News has also spoken to a woman who had a prepayment gas meter installed following a forced entry despite not being in debt and being up-to-date with direct debit payments.
The woman, a single mother of two whose identity we are protecting for personal reasons, said she came home to find contractors employed by British Gas had forced a window open.
Image: Sky News is protecting the woman’s identity for personal reasons
“I still feel really violated by it,” she said. “I just couldn’t work out how or why they’d come in, or how they got in. Once I realised, I just felt really exposed, really vulnerable and I still feel really vulnerable because the window is still broken.
“And it’s embarrassing. I got given this card that I had to go top up in a shop, it’s only in specific shops you can top it up, so you’re limited to how and when you can top up.
“The gas might run out in the middle of the night, and then you’ve got to go in, it’s 9pm, and you’ve got two children in bed.
“I’m a single mum, I can’t go out at 9pm and top up a gas card particularly not when it’s not in all the local shops, so it’s just been really difficult. I feel like for the last six months, all I’ve spoken about is British Gas.”
British Gas acknowledged it had made a mistake with the forced fitting and after five months an engineer swapped her back to a credit meter.
Centrica said it would investigate her case.
In a statement, it said: “We are very sorry to read these details and we will ensure her case is looked at as part of our investigation.
“As we made clear yesterday, the allegations around our third-party contractor Arvato are unacceptable and that’s why we immediately suspended their warrant activity.”
Misusing nitrous oxide can lead to life-threatening risks, a leading neurologist has warned, as Britain gears up to celebrate the new year.
The party drug, commonly known as laughing gas, is second to cannabis as the most commonly misused substance among 16 to 24-year-olds in England.
“I think it’s wrong to call it laughing gas because that makes it seem like it’s a joke,” Dr David Nicholl, clinical lead for neurology at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, told Sky News.
“It is a drug that is used as an anaesthetic, but that’s with 50% oxygen in a supervised environment with health professionals who understand doses.”
Image: Pic: Associated Press
Acute exposure to the gas can lead to anaemia and nerve damage, and it has also been linked to fertility issues.
Dr Nicholl said misuse of the substance is currently the most common cause for emergency admissions to the neurology ward.
“People come into hospital off their legs, difficulty walking, presenting with tingling in the hands and feet, slurred speech and more rarely seizures.
“I’ve even spoken to one ophthalmologist colleague who has seen a patient who went blind, but that was secondary to hypoxia caused by inhaling nitrous oxide,” he warned.
Image: Dr David Nicholl with some of the newer, larger nitrous oxide canisters popular with addicts
He said he had seen some users take canisters that are up to 3.9kgs in weight.
“If you took this in one sitting, it would kill you,” he said.
Read more: Laughing gas sparks ‘epidemic’ of youngsters being hospitalised Possession could become a criminal offence following ‘concerning’ rise in use
Image: Liam Cullen
Football coach Liam Cullen, 33, says he was addicted to nitrous oxide when he was in his 20s.
“I could go from anywhere between 12 and 18 hours a day, constantly doing balloons,” he told Sky News.
“It changed my personality – I would be very snappy. I’m usually outgoing and a person that people like to be around. But when I was using nitrous oxide, I wasn’t a nice person to be around.”
‘I couldn’t feel my legs’
Liam would get through 600 canisters a day and says it left him in and out of hospital seeking medical help.
“I would have days that I had pins and needles and I just couldn’t go into work, it was that painful. I couldn’t feel my legs, couldn’t feel the toes on my feet.”
New data from N2O Know The Risks, a research project led by Queen Mary University, showed that while 91% of people had seen nitrous oxide canisters before, only 41% knew what they were.
And, 97% of those surveyed said they did not know inhaling nitrous oxide could damage the spinal cord.
Four people have been injured following a suspected gas explosion at a home in Worcestershire, police have said.
Emergency crews were called to the incident on Hemmingway in Evesham shortly after 5pm.
One man was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham while two other adults are being taken to Hereford County Hospital, West Mercia Police said.
A fourth person was being treated by paramedics on Tuesday evening, according to the force.
Five neighbouring properties were evacuated and a police cordon remains in place while officers respond to the incident.
People have been asked to stay away from the area and a road closure is in effect at the scene.
A man described as a “neighbour from hell” has been jailed for causing a gas explosion that killed a two-year-old boy.
George Hinds died after his next-door neighbour Darren Greenham, 45, cut the gas pipes at his council house in Heysham, Lancashire in the hope of selling the copper piping for scrap, Preston Crown Court heard.
He used an angle grinder and was under the influence of alcohol and drugs, the court was told.
Image: Gas explosion in Heysham, Lancashire
On Wednesday he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for manslaughter, damaging a gas meter and theft of gas after pleading guilty in August.
The blast, which happened at 2.36am on 16 May last year, destroyed Greenham’s property and damaged 55 others.
Arthur’s father Stephen Hinds clutched a Paw Patrol toy in memory of his son as he watched the sentencing from the public gallery.
George’s mother Vicki Studholme, who had previously described Greenham as the “neighbour from hell”, was beside him along with several of their neighbours.
Mr Hinds said: “By Darren Greenham cutting a gas pipe to make a few quid I have lost my son, my absolute world.”
Arthur’s mother added: “After the explosion, being trapped in the rubble was the most scared I had ever been in my life.
“This was until I arrived at the hospital to be told that George had died.
“Never ever have I felt so scared as in that moment of my life.”
Image: Pic: Lancashire Police
Victim’s family still in caravan after explosion
The family has been living in a caravan since the explosion and were praised by Judge Robert Altham for their dignity.
Concluding the case, he said: “Mr Greenham was a selfish and disruptive neighbour.
“He lived his life without regard for the comfort of those who were unfortunate enough to live adjacent to him.”
The prosecution had said Greenham was facing eviction proceedings and was hoping to make money on the pipes he cut.
He was dependent on alcohol and drugs and would regularly play loud music and taunt all three members of the family, the court was told.
After suffering a serious head injury in the explosion, he lost most use of his right hand.
His one-month sentences for theft of gas and damage of a gas meter will run concurrently.
A Royal Navy frigate has been sent to the North Sea after suspected sabotage last week on the Nord Stream gas pipelines.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the ship was working with the Norwegian navy “to reassure those working near the gas pipelines”.
European nations believe the damage could only have been caused by an attack, with Russia strongly suspected.
The Kremlin has denied it was responsible and instead pointed the finger at the West.
Methane has been bubbling up since four leaks were found on the pipelines under the Baltic Sea, near Denmark’s Bornholm Island.
A British defence source told Sky News they were likely premeditated attacks using underwater explosives.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said on Sunday at the Tory Party conference that Russia made “no secret” of its ability to attack underwater infrastructure.
He said the damage to the pipelines – which run from Russia to Germany – showed “the Nordic states and ourselves are deeply vulnerable to people doing things on our cables and our pipelines”.
Mr Wallace said the UK would acquire two specialist ships to protect the network as the country’s “internet and energy are highly reliant on pipelines and cables”.
“The first multi-role survey ship for seabed warfare will be purchased by the end of this year, fitted out here in the UK and then operational before the end of next year,” he said.
“The second ship will be built in the UK and we will plan to make sure it covers all our vulnerabilities.”
Mr Wallace met other ministers of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) on Monday to share assessments of what the MoD called a “blatant and irresponsible” attack.
In a statement, it said the members had decided to increase their presence in the area, as well as “intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance activities” to deter future acts and reassure allies.
The JEF is focussed on security in the High North, North Atlantic and Baltic Sea region.
It includes Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK.
