05-10-2004, 05:19 PM
Girl's takeaway topping was laced with cannabis
By Thomas Smith
SICK pranksters sprinkled cannabis on a pregnant teenager's pizza.
Stephanie McArdle, 16, wondered why the delivery boy was sniggering as he handed over her takeaway meal.
The boy's friends, waiting in the car, were all laughing too.
Then Stephanie noticed an odd smell as she started eating, and felt sick.
Someone had laced the large chicken and pepperoni pizza with cannabis resin.
Stephanie phoned the takeaway to complain, and her dad, Steven, drove down to ask what had been done to the pizza.
Bosses at the Bombay Tandoori in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, claimed the pieces of dark substance on the pizza were scraps of burned crust.
But police tests later confirmed the substance was cannabis.
Stephanie said last night: 'I'm angry and shocked. I just hope this hasn't harmed my baby.
'I've been for a check-up and the medical staff said I'd have to wait to see if there are any effects.'
She added: 'I knew there was something wrong when the delivery guy and his friends in the car were all laughing.
'After a few slices, I started feeling sick and I knew there was something wrong with the pizza.
'I showed it to my dad and he agreed.We called the shop but they were certain that it hadn't been tampered with.
'They offered me another pizza for free and a refund.
'But this is a serious matter. My dad called the police.
'I hope they catch these guys before they do it again.
'Who knows what else they have been doing to the food they deliver.'
Police went to the family home and took a slice of pizza away for forensic tests.
Stephanie, of Hillhouse, Hamilton, ordered the pizza by phone last Tuesday evening from the takeaway in nearby Burnbank.
Staff there yesterday blamed the cruel trick on a new delivery driver and insisted that the culprit had been sacked.
Worker Nasim Hussain said: 'It was the guy's first and last night. He is no longer working with us.
'He claims one of his friends in the car was responsible.
'We informed the local council's environmental health department and the police came to see us on Monday.
'Police officers said the slice of pizza is now undergoing further analysis at their labs in Glasgow.
'We are as angry as the McArdle family because we trust our drivers to deliver food safely.
'But we are not responsible for the hash being added to the pizza.'
A spokeswoman for South Lanarkshire Council said: 'Our environmental health service received a complaint on this and felt it to be a malicious tampering.
'The matter is being dealt with by the police.'
A Strathclyde Police spokesman said: 'Inquiries are ongoing to trace the person responsible.'
Drugs expert Dr Paul Skett, of Strathclyde University, last night reassured Stephanie about her baby's health.
He said: 'It is very unlikely there will be any long-term effects from something like this.
'The cannabis will go through the placenta to the child and there is always a possibility of a chemical interfering with development.
'But a small bit of cannabis won't cause long-term damage.'
By Thomas Smith
SICK pranksters sprinkled cannabis on a pregnant teenager's pizza.
Stephanie McArdle, 16, wondered why the delivery boy was sniggering as he handed over her takeaway meal.
The boy's friends, waiting in the car, were all laughing too.
Then Stephanie noticed an odd smell as she started eating, and felt sick.
Someone had laced the large chicken and pepperoni pizza with cannabis resin.
Stephanie phoned the takeaway to complain, and her dad, Steven, drove down to ask what had been done to the pizza.
Bosses at the Bombay Tandoori in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, claimed the pieces of dark substance on the pizza were scraps of burned crust.
But police tests later confirmed the substance was cannabis.
Stephanie said last night: 'I'm angry and shocked. I just hope this hasn't harmed my baby.
'I've been for a check-up and the medical staff said I'd have to wait to see if there are any effects.'
She added: 'I knew there was something wrong when the delivery guy and his friends in the car were all laughing.
'After a few slices, I started feeling sick and I knew there was something wrong with the pizza.
'I showed it to my dad and he agreed.We called the shop but they were certain that it hadn't been tampered with.
'They offered me another pizza for free and a refund.
'But this is a serious matter. My dad called the police.
'I hope they catch these guys before they do it again.
'Who knows what else they have been doing to the food they deliver.'
Police went to the family home and took a slice of pizza away for forensic tests.
Stephanie, of Hillhouse, Hamilton, ordered the pizza by phone last Tuesday evening from the takeaway in nearby Burnbank.
Staff there yesterday blamed the cruel trick on a new delivery driver and insisted that the culprit had been sacked.
Worker Nasim Hussain said: 'It was the guy's first and last night. He is no longer working with us.
'He claims one of his friends in the car was responsible.
'We informed the local council's environmental health department and the police came to see us on Monday.
'Police officers said the slice of pizza is now undergoing further analysis at their labs in Glasgow.
'We are as angry as the McArdle family because we trust our drivers to deliver food safely.
'But we are not responsible for the hash being added to the pizza.'
A spokeswoman for South Lanarkshire Council said: 'Our environmental health service received a complaint on this and felt it to be a malicious tampering.
'The matter is being dealt with by the police.'
A Strathclyde Police spokesman said: 'Inquiries are ongoing to trace the person responsible.'
Drugs expert Dr Paul Skett, of Strathclyde University, last night reassured Stephanie about her baby's health.
He said: 'It is very unlikely there will be any long-term effects from something like this.
'The cannabis will go through the placenta to the child and there is always a possibility of a chemical interfering with development.
'But a small bit of cannabis won't cause long-term damage.'
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