Scientist sentenced to two years for sending Theresa May fake poison

‘Sergei Skripal had been poisoned just about a month before this letter was opened and so the issue of poisoning was high in the nation’s consciousness,’ judge says

Christopher Doyle was also ordered to sign the sexual offenders' register and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order (Metropolitan Police)

A scientist has been jailed for sending fake poison to Theresa May a month after former Russian spy Sergei Skripal was poisoned by the novichok nerve agent in Salisbury.

Christopher Doyle, a former research fellow at Cambridge University, was sentenced to two years and 10 months at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday for sending the white powder to the then prime minister in 2018 and for making indecent images.

He addressed the letter to “Theresa May, c/o The Nazi Party” and enclosed a cartoon poster showing her decapitated along with the powder, which was later found to be harmless, a picture of former spy Alexander Litvinenko and a message criticising her policy on Russia.

The mail was examined on 5 April, 2018, at a Swiss Post screening facility which had to be evacuated, the court heard.

Judge Anil Murray said: “Sergei Skripal had been poisoned just about a month before this letter was opened and so the issue of poisoning was high in the nation’s consciousness.

“This was a serious offence intended by you to induce fear of danger to human life.”

Doyle had denied sending the powder but was convicted following a trial.

The 54-year-old, who had a PhD in neuroscience and said he previously worked at the government facility Porton Down, suffered from bipolar affective disorder, the court was told.

He told police he had also written a letter to Boris Johnson criticising his attitude to Russia and a letter to then Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in which he praised him.

The court heard he told officers he believed the powder may have been planted in the letter by MI5 or MI6.

Mark Pritchard, defending, said Doyle had been living with agoraphobia since 2013 following the death of a friend.

He said: “He has gone from being a successful research fellow at Cambridge University to living in almost isolation.

“He has been in a bubble of pro-Russian Facebook groups to which he has been a member.”

Judge Murray told the defendant: “You are a highly intelligent man.

“You know the effects your condition has.

“These were not spur of the moment offences.”

Joseph Allman, prosecuting, said when police raided Doyle’s home in Fir Street they found more than 245,000 indecent images of children on a laptop.

Doyle pleaded guilty to making indecent photographs of children but Judge Murray said he did not accept his claim that he did not have them for his own sexual gratification.

Doyle was also ordered to sign the sexual offenders’ register and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.

Additional reporting by PA Media