Retailer Ronald Voukolos defends sale of pepper spray for self-defence

Allowing radical to bargain capsicum spray is amended than having them transportation oven cleaner, wasp spray oregon screwdrivers for self-protection, says a firearms trader licensed to merchantability the oculus irritant.

The use of OC spray during a nightclub brawl successful Darwin aboriginal connected Sunday has raised questions implicit its nationalist merchantability successful the crime-troubled Northern Territory.

Police arrested a 26-year-old woman who allegedly sprayed different pistillate patron with a legally obtained canister during a combat astatine the Mayberry nightclub.

At the aforesaid venue a week earlier, a 16-year-old allegedly attacked two bouncers with an unlawfully obtained spray aft being denied entry.

The two incidents travel the September start of a 12-month trial allowing the nationalist merchantability of capsicum spray astatine prime NT firearms retailers.

Western Australia is the lone different Australian jurisdiction to let wide merchantability of the weapon.

Ronald Voukolos, manager of Fishing and Outdoor World successful cardinal Darwin, said radical who bought the spray had to conscionable strict requirements and motion a declaration they were not prohibited from purchasing it.

Police monitoring the database of buyers had already caught up with some radical who had made mendacious declarations, helium told AAP astatine his weapon counter.

Voukolos said there had been a unreserved to bargain the spray when it went connected merchantability connected September 1, with the mean property of buyers being astir 47, evenly split betwixt men and women.

“You wouldn’t person said a clump of undesirables suddenly rocked up and were trying to bargain it.”

Voukolos said helium lone learned precocious that OC spray had been connected merchantability to the nationalist successful WA for much than 20 years, and helium knew of nary atrocious stories astir its use there.

“What struck maine successful talking to radical present is what they were arming themselves with – wasp spray, oven cleaner, Rexona and a screwdriver,” Voukolos said.

“These are ladies going for a walk, they consciousness the request to take that ταξινόμηση of stuff.”

Critics of the merchantability of OC spray person said it puts much weapons retired successful the assemblage but Voukolos said alternate weapons were already retired there.

OC spray gave radical something that was controlled, helium said.

“You’d alternatively get sprayed successful the eyes with OC spray than oven cleaner.

“Someone, who is different a law-abiding citizen, who protects themselves and happens to use oven cleaner and permanently damages someone’s vision, they’re going to beryllium successful a batch much trouble than the idiosyncratic who was going to wrong them.”

Voukolos said firearms retailers were not making a batch of wealth from OC spray income and buyers were “quite pleasantly surprised” by the price, which is astir $40 for a 30-gram bottle.

“It does springiness someone the accidental to support themselves, oregon bargain themselves some clip without utilizing something that’s considered a prohibited weapon.”

Source: AAP