A man who sparked a massive security alert after letting off a chilli spray in a Wellgate lift has been branded “stupid”.
Andrew Perrie was responsible for two women being treated in hospital and for the evacuation of the shopping centre’s Jobcentre after spraying the bottle of Kiss the Devil in the lift.
A massive security operation was launched after a number of people became violently ill after inhaling the cooking product, with emergency services initially unsure of the cause.
Depute fiscal Charmaine Gilmartin previously told the court that on CCTV security cameras Perrie was seen to enter the lift and take out a canister about the same size as a police CS spray.
“He proceeded to spray it around the inside of a lift before quickly exiting.
“A number of pumps were applied by the accused. He then gets out of the lift, collects a form from the Jobcentre and leaves immediately,” Ms Gilmartin said.
A number of staff, along with other adults and children, then entered the area around the lift and the lift itself and became affected by what was at that time an unknown substance.
“One was coughing uncontrollably and her nose and eyes began streaming.
“She was helped to a window where she was sick.
“Another woman with a child and three other females began coughing and also had difficulty breathing.
“No-one knew what was going on so emergency services were contacted and an evacuation began,” the depute fiscal said.
Around 150 staff left the building while police, firefighters and ambulance crews arrived.
An exclusion zone was set up around the building until the all-clear was given, and in the meantime two people were taken to Ninewells Hospital for treatment.
Police later traced Perrie after watching the CCTV recording.
“He said he had found the spray on a bus and had initially sprayed it in his mouth and had then taken it to the Jobcentre so he could spray it in the lift to smell it. The spray was called Kiss the Devil and is intended to spice up food,” said Miss Gilmartin.
The 32-year-old, of Happyhillock Walk, admitted that on October 15 last year he culpably and recklessly sprayed a noxious substance, namely a chilli food additive, in a public lift.
Sheriff Hughes branded Perrie “stupid” before ordering him to complete 150 hours of unpaid work in the community.