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via the London Telegraph...
The father of a 12-year-old boy found four ecstasy tablets in the packaging of a second hand video game he bought for his son from a high street store.
By Richard Savill
Last Updated: 3:37PM BST 08 Apr 2009
Richard Thornhill said the consequences could have been "horrific" if the tablets had been found by his son Jamie, or by his daughter Danielle, 16.
The tablets were wrapped in cling film and tucked away in the instructions manual.
Mr Thornhill, 34, a tool hire company manager, urged the Gamestation store in Cheltenham, Glos, to make stricter checks in future.
He bought two previously-owned Grand Theft Auto games from the shop on Sunday. After discovering the drugs he took them to a nearby police station.
He said: "When I opened the box up, the cling film wrap fell out. I could not believe it.
"I have two children and my son plays Xbox all the time. He could easily have opened the box and found them.
"I dread to think what the consequences would have been if he had. He is only 12. He could have died."
Mr Thornhill said he had received an apology from the store, but he felt there should be stricter checks on 'trade in' games.
"It was a pre-used game, but that should not make a difference," he said. "My wife is beside herself over this because she keeps thinking about what could have happened and so do I."
Gamestation said: "We have rigorous procedures for accepting pre-owned titles and checking them before they are put back on sale.
"We have launched an immediate investigation and we will work closely with police to find out what happened in this instance.
"It would be inappropriate to comment further until the police investigation is complete."
Ecstasy is linked to about 30 deaths a year, and the Home Office has said it kills "unpredictably".
Gloucestershire police said: "We have collected the tablets and will be destroying them at a later date. It is likely that they are ecstasy pills.
"We are now conducting enquiries to see if it can be established who brought them into the store."
By Richard Savill
Last Updated: 3:37PM BST 08 Apr 2009
Richard Thornhill said the consequences could have been "horrific" if the tablets had been found by his son Jamie, or by his daughter Danielle, 16.
The tablets were wrapped in cling film and tucked away in the instructions manual.
Mr Thornhill, 34, a tool hire company manager, urged the Gamestation store in Cheltenham, Glos, to make stricter checks in future.
He bought two previously-owned Grand Theft Auto games from the shop on Sunday. After discovering the drugs he took them to a nearby police station.
He said: "When I opened the box up, the cling film wrap fell out. I could not believe it.
"I have two children and my son plays Xbox all the time. He could easily have opened the box and found them.
"I dread to think what the consequences would have been if he had. He is only 12. He could have died."
Mr Thornhill said he had received an apology from the store, but he felt there should be stricter checks on 'trade in' games.
"It was a pre-used game, but that should not make a difference," he said. "My wife is beside herself over this because she keeps thinking about what could have happened and so do I."
Gamestation said: "We have rigorous procedures for accepting pre-owned titles and checking them before they are put back on sale.
"We have launched an immediate investigation and we will work closely with police to find out what happened in this instance.
"It would be inappropriate to comment further until the police investigation is complete."
Ecstasy is linked to about 30 deaths a year, and the Home Office has said it kills "unpredictably".
Gloucestershire police said: "We have collected the tablets and will be destroying them at a later date. It is likely that they are ecstasy pills.
"We are now conducting enquiries to see if it can be established who brought them into the store."
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