Surrey: Man cleared over bus gas poison plot
A man who claimed he became HIV positive as a result of sexual abuse by a “homosexual paedophile gang” has been cleared of planning to carry out a poison gas attack in Surrey.
Duncan Railton, 41, of Warlingham, Surrey, denied two charges of possessing dangerous or noxious things and making threats to kill.
During the trial, jurors heard Mr Railton told psychiatrist James Ovens about fantasies of carrying out an attack on a bus in
Caterham.
Dr Ovens said his patient boasted of having the equipment and researching how to make chlorine, the poison ricin and VX.
Mr Railton claimed he became HIV positive as a result of sexual abuse by a “homosexual paedophile gang” as a child.
The 41-year-old also spoke of revenge attacks targeting people who abused him as a teenager and their families; evidence of his research was later found on his computer.
The jury was told that when police raided his home in October 2012 he was found to have 98 different chemicals, including some that could make chlorine gas.
When interviewed by police, Mr Railton produced a prepared statement, writing that they were fantasies and he never intended to hurt anyone.
It had been alleged he wanted to carry out an attack on a bus, but Mr Railton said he was interested in science.
He told the court he had been interested in chemistry since his schooldays and kept chemicals at home to carry out “classic textbook experiments”.
Jurors at Guildford Crown Court found Mr Railton not guilty on Tuesday.
Following his acquittal, Mr Railton said he wanted to get on with his life after spending six months in custody.
Speaking after the case, the BBC reports Mr Railton said: “I am very grateful to my legal team and the good sense of the jury.
“I never did intend to hurt anybody, and the unanimous jury verdict now puts that beyond doubt.
“I have been held in custody for six months and two days for a crime I did not commit.
“I want to now put all of this behind me, and get back to work and get on with my life.”
