DETECTIVES contacted Unilever to check whether their Lynx deodorant factory handled the same ingredients found in pepper spray, a court heard.

The inquiry followed comments from Steven Stratton, who told police he’d blasted anti-perspirant in his neighbour’s face – and not pepper spray.

But appearing before Swindon Crown Court yesterday, the 50-year-old, of Holbein Square, Grange Park, pleaded guilty to administering a noxious substance with intent to injure or annoy.

The court heard Stratton and his neighbour had known each other for a decade and were friends.

He believed the man stolen money from him and, on January 9, 2019, went round his house.

They argued and Stratton went back to his home then returned a short while later with the cannister of pepper spray, which he’d ordered off the internet to protect his dog after the pet was attacked.

He sprayed the man in the face. His victim was forced to go to the hospital for treatment together with his girlfriend.

Prosecutor Christopher Wing told the court that enquiries were made by the police with Unilever, the company that produces Lynx. Detectives asked whether the ingredients in pepper spray were used in the factory where Lynx deodorant was made.

In a later psychiatric report, Stratton admitted using the pepper spray on his neighbour.

The court heard Stratton had 32 previous convictions for 69 offences, but had not been in trouble since 2010.

Emma Handslip, mitigating, said her client experienced poor mental health and was suffering from psychosis at the time of the assault. He had drunk alcohol before the attack but had since given up drinking.

He had been friends with his victim for over 10 years. They had lived next door to each other since the assault without further issues.

Stratton was deemed a low risk of reconviction.

The pepper spray, although never found by police, had been disposed of by Stratton, Ms Handslip said.

Judge Jason Taylor QC said he acknowledged Stratton had mental health issues, had been out of trouble for nine years and there had been no further difficulties with his neighbour.

Imposing 10 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years, Judge Taylor said: “You deliberately armed yourself with [the pepper spray] and went back to use it and that is obviously a clear aggravating factor. When you got back to your neighbour’s house you sprayed it in his face and in the course of doing so you also affected his girlfriend and his mother.

“The neighbour – himself a friend of yours – and his girlfriend were sufficiently badly affected that they went to hospital with extreme discomfort and difficulty breathing.

“In interview you lied, in effect. You said you sprayed Lynx; you now accept it was pepper spray.”

Stratton must abide by an eight month curfew and complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.