A "naïve" businesswoman advertised and sold illegal self-defence kits for women that included knives disguised as a key and noxious CS gas spray. Renea Thorn-Jones, who ran online business Brat Boutique, sold the illegal kits for £11, after advertising them on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok - but said she had no idea that what she was doing was against the law.
The 21-year-old, from Wythenshawe in Manchester, said she saw similar kits on sale on an American website and thought it was a good "business opportunity" - but had no idea it was illegal to sell such items in the UK. Thorn-Jones was arrested at her house in October last year after police were told about the dangerous items on her website, the Manchester Evening News reports.
Manchester Crown Court heard that Thorn-Jones had sold between 20 and 30 of the kits and made around £300 from the sales before she was arrested. She had advertised the kits on social media, alongside other items including eyelashes, tarot readings and press-on nails.
