Barratt hit by poison scam

Barratt employees in England and Scotland have received packages claiming to contain the deadly toxin ricin.

The threatening packages, which have sparked a major police investigation, are understood to be the work of an objector to a Barratt Homes development on a brownfield site in the Midlands.

One of the letters, sent to a Barratt office in Northampton, included the message "Death to all Barratt employees" and a claim that the package contained the deadly poison.

A Barratt spokesman confirmed: "We have received letters containing white powder at a small number of offices.

"The powder is entirely harmless and the matter is now in the hands of Nottinghamshire Police. The brownfield site had routine planning permission and Barratt has done nothing wrong."

[Contract Journal, 23 August 2006, p 3]