Student Blinded After Pal Spiked His Wine With Paint Solvent

A student was poisoned by a pal who spiked his drink as they got ready to go to a university student ball.

Robert Forbes, 24, was left unable to see after he swigged red wine which had been laced with solvents commonly used in paint and anti-freeze.

He was rushed to hospital where he also experienced extreme lethargy, headaches and confusion after necking the toxic drink on March 5 2011.

Medics gave him whisky as part of his treatment to help counter the effects of the toxin. Without it he would have suffered “life-threatening consequences”, Edinburgh High Court heard.

Alexander Hilton, now 24, was said to have encouraged fellow US national Mr Forbes to drink it the methanol concoction on the evening of the ball at St Andrews University in Fife.

Hilton will be sentenced next month after admitting a charge of assaulting Mr Forbes to his severe injury, permanent impairment and to the danger of his life, on Friday.

He appeared before the court - more than four years on from the crime - after being extradited from the US on May 7 this year.

Hilton was interviewed under caution later that week, where he denied knowing that Mr Forbes had been poisoned and repeatedly denied having spiked the wine.

Police found that Hilton had accessed web pages on methanol poisoning, after the incident but two days before Mr Forbes’ condition was diagnosed.

The court heard that methanol is used commercially as a solvent, especially in paints and varnishes, and is a constituent of some antifreeze solutions.

The court heard how the victim suffered from extreme lethargy, headaches, confusion and blurred vision, deteriorating into a complete loss of vision for a time.

He needed treatment to prevent permanent kidney damage.

“It would appear that Robert suffered no lasting damage to his kidneys. The same cannot be said for his vision,” said Mr Prentice, who outlined a series of problems the victim continues to experience with his eyes and sight.

However, he now has his driving licence back and is expected to graduate from St Andrews next week.

John Scott, defending, told the court the case was “very unusual as well as being serious”.

Hilton is on a “cocktail of drugs” to help him cope with his longstanding mental health problems, he told the court.

Mr Scott spoke of a “psychiatric background” extending back to before the incident.

He added that, unusually for a High Court case, he would be making the case at the next hearing for Hilton to receive a non-custodial sentence, describing the accused’s circumstances as unusual and unique.

Judge Lord Burns deferred sentence for the preparation of a criminal justice social work report.

He told Hilton: “The crime to which you have pleaded guilty is of course of the utmost seriousness and will attract a custodial sentence in the absence of exceptional circumstances.”



Culled From Mirror