What is Ricin? The deadly poison Southport killer had at his home following attack

Axel Rudakubana has pleaded guilty to killing three girls and attempting to kill several others at a dance class in Southport last summer on the first day of his trial.

Rudakubana also admitted production of a biological toxin, ricin, on or before July 29 and possession of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing to commit an act of terrorism.

The terrorism offence relates to a PDF file entitled Military Studies In The Jihad Against The Tyrants, The Al Qaeda Training Manual which he is said to have possessed between August 29 2021 and July 30 2024.

The ricin, a deadly poison, and the document were found during searches of the home in Banks, Lancashire, which he shared with his parents, who are originally from Rwanda.

He will be sentenced on Thursday for the offences.

But what is ricin and what makes it so dangerous?

What is ricin?

Ricin is a poison which is found naturally in castor beans.

If castor beans are chewed and swallowed, it’s possible to suffer from ricin poisoning.

Where does it come from?

Ricin occurs naturally in castor beans, and can also be made from the waste material left over from processing the beans.

It can be made into the form of a powder, mist, pellet, or can be dissolved in water or weak acid.

How long does ricin take to kick in?

Ricin works by getting inside the cells of a person’s body and preventing the cells from making the proteins they need. Without the proteins, cells die. Eventually this is harmful to the whole body and can prove fatal.

Its effects and the time it takes for them to take effect depend on whether the ricin was inhaled, injected or eaten.

Symptoms of poisoning by inhalation may occur as early as 4-8 hours and as late as 24 hours after exposure. If eaten, initial symptoms typically occur in less than 10 hours.

Can you recover from ricin poisoning?

There is no antidote for ricin, so the best thing to do is to get the substance off or out of the body as quickly as possible.

Ricin poisoning is treated by trying to minimise the effects as much as possible, such as by removing your clothes, washing your entire body, and getting medical care as quickly as possible.

Any potentially contaminated clothes should be placed in plastic bags.

It’s not recommended to induce vomiting or drink fluids.

What is the mortality rate for ricin?

Death from ricin poisoning could take place within 36 to 72 hours of exposure, depending on how the person was exposed and the dose received.

The survival rate of castor bean ingestion is about 98%, and death is unlikely to occur if the victim survives for longer than five days after ricin poisoning.

What foods contain ricin?

Castor beans are processed across the world to create castor oil. The oil is used in laxatives as well as an ingredient in skin and hair products.

Ricin is part of the waste ‘mash’ produced when castor oil is made.

Castor beans are not considered edible because of their high concentration of ricin, as well as being difficult to digest.

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