SCHOOLBOY CRISPIN SANDFORD SOBBED IN COURT AS HE R
SCHOOLBOY CRISPIN SANDFORD SOBBED IN COURT AS HE RELIVED
THE HORROR OF WATCHING HIS FRIEND COLLAPE WITH A HEART ATTACK AFTER
A WEEK OF SNIFFING TIPP-EX TYPEWRITER FLUID.
WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES 13-YEAR-OLD CRISPIN WHO SINCE THE
TRAGEDY HAS MOVED TO CORBY NORTHAMPTONSHIRESAID THAT NEWSAGENT
CHANDRAKANT PATEL TOOK CASH OR BARTERED GOODS FOR THE FLUID, TOWER
BRIDGE MAGISTRATES COURT HEARD.
HE SAID THAT THE SOUTHW NEWSAGENT SOLD THEM TIPP-EX
THINNERS WHICH THEY USED TO SNIFF REGULARLY IN A LOCAL PARK.
HIS CLOSE PAL, LEE KENDALL, 14, DIED OF A HEART ATTACK ON
AUGUST 8 AFTER A WEEK OF SNIFFING THE FLUID.
CRISPIN TOLD THE COURT: ”WE POURED THE LIQUID ONTO THE END
OF OUR SLEEVES.
IT MAKES YOU DIZZY AND YOU FEEL FUNNY.
IT MAKES YOU
DREAM.
”
THE YOUNGSTER, WHO LIVED TWO DOORS AWAY FROM LEE AT HAZEL
WAY, SETCHEL ESTATE, SOUTHWARK, SAID: ”WE WERE GETTING TIPP-EX FROM
THE SHOP ALL THROUGH THAT WEEK.
I THINK THE FIRST TIME WAS MONDAY OR
TUESDAY.
WE TOOK IT FOUR OR FIVE TIMES.
”
THE SCHOOLBOY, NOW LIVING IN CORBY, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE, ADDED:
”LEE CAME ROUND TO MY HOUSE AND ASKED ME TO RETURN A WALKMAN WHICH
HE HAD LENT ME.
THEN HE TOOK IT TO THE PATEL’S SHOP AND SAID ‘I WANT
TO SWOP IT FOR SOME TIPP-EX’.
”
HE ADDED: ”MR PATEL GAVE HIM THREE OR FOUR BOTTLES OF
TIPP-EX AND 10 CIGARETTES.
”
WHEN HE CAME TO DESCRIBING HOW LEE COLLAPSED WITH A HEART
ATTACK IN SPA ROAD PARK, BERMONDSEY, CRISPIN BROKE DOWN IN TEARS.
MAGISTRATE CHRISTOPHER VOELCKER (CORRECT) ORDERED A FIVE
MINUTE ADJOURNENT TO LET HIM RECOVER.
PATEL, 35, AND HIS COUSIN, SURESHDHAI PATEL, 23, ARE CHARGED
UNDER THE INTOXICATING SUBSTANCES (FOR SUPPLY) ACT 1985, WITH HIS
SELLING TIPP-EX TO LEE AT THEIR SHOP IN DUNTON ROAD, SOUTHWARK,
KNOWING HE WAS LIKELY TO INHALE IT.
CHANDRAKANT PATEL DENIES TWO CHARGES OF SUPPLYING SOLVENTS
TO LEE, ONE BETWEEN JULY 27 AND AUGUST 6 AND ONE ON AUGUST 6.
SURESHBHAI PATEL DENIES SUPPLYING SOLVENTS TO LEE ON AUGUST 4.
HE
ALSO DENIES BREAKING THE CONDITIONS OF HIS RESIDENCE IN BRITAIN BY
WORKING.
THE PROSCECUTION IS THE FIRST UNDER THE INTOXICATING
SUBTANCES (FOR SUPPLY) ACT.
THE TRIAL CONTINUES.
ENDS
