Staff at a pharmacy in Stoke-on-Trent wrestled a man to the ground after he became agitated, reportedly under the influence of the drug monkey dust. The incident occurred at Norfolk Street Pharmacy in Hanley on Friday, September 29, and was captured on CCTV.
The man, described as 'wild-eyed', paced up and down before barging behind the counter. Pharmacist Navid Kaleem said the man initially sang poems and rhymes, then claimed to be a soldier before becoming aggressive. Staff restrained him on the floor for 15 minutes until police arrived.
Kaleem, 45, said: 'We were all so scared. Monkey dust is very unpredictable. He was quite a strapping guy and we had some patients that were terrified.' He added that staff showed compassion, giving the man water, as 'he's someone else's brother and son'.
Monkey dust, a psychoactive substance costing around £2, can cause days-long psychotic episodes. It was reclassified as a Class B drug in 2010. Kaleem released the footage to raise awareness, saying the drug is 'destroying' the city.
A Staffordshire Police spokesperson said: 'We were called at 6.20pm on Friday (26 September) to a business on Norfolk Street, Shelton, following reports of a man shouting and attempting to assault staff and customers. Officers attended the scene, and the man was taken to hospital.'
