Three men have entered not guilty pleas in connection with a shocking alleged robbery at Heathrow Airport, where CS spray was used against two women, leaving more than twenty people requiring medical attention.
The Charges and Court Appearance
Tyrone Richards, aged 31, Anton Clarke-Butcher, 24, and Omoneke Whyte, 30, each face two counts of robbery and two counts of administering a noxious substance. They are also charged with one count of affray. The trio appeared in court following the incident, which took place on 7 December last year.
All three defendants formally denied the charges against them. The case is now set to proceed to trial at Isleworth Crown Court on 29 June.
Details of the Terminal 3 Incident
The alleged attack occurred in a multi-storey car park at Heathrow's Terminal 3. According to police reports, two women were targeted immediately after exiting a car park lift. The assailants are accused of using a CS spray on the women before stealing their suitcases—one purple and one white.
The effects of the spray were not contained to the intended victims. The noxious substance spread, impacting numerous bystanders. Emergency ambulance crews treated a total of 21 people at the scene. Among those affected was a three-year-old child, highlighting the indiscriminate danger posed by the chemical agent.
What is CS Spray?
CS spray is a synthetic chemical compound used by UK police forces as a incapacitant. It causes severe irritation to the eyes, nose, throat, and skin, resulting in temporary blindness, coughing, and difficulty breathing. Its use in this crowded public setting significantly escalated the risk and scale of the incident.
The police have described the robbery as 'gang-related', though the specifics of this alleged connection have not been fully disclosed in open court. The case continues to develop as the prosecution prepares its evidence for the summer trial.
