Arabic version: اتهام امرأة من بيرث بشأن تلوث مزعوم لطبق كاري

According to The Guardian, a 43-year-old Perth woman has been charged after allegedly contaminating a co-worker’s curry lunch with snail pellets containing metaldehyde, which police described as a poisonous substance.

Western Australian police said a 58-year-old woman brought a container of curry to share with colleagues at her workplace in Perth’s southern suburbs in February. The curry was shared by employees and eaten without issue during a morning-tea break, police said.

Police alleged that, after the meal, the accused accessed a chemical storage shed and later entered the staff lunch room where the food was being kept. At lunchtime, the alleged victim returned to eat more of the curry and saw bright green granules in the container after opening it.

After tasting a small amount, the woman experienced numbness to her tongue, according to a police spokesperson. Police will allege that the accused and the alleged victim were in a personal relationship, but declined to provide further information about that relationship or the workplace.

Detectives arrested the 43-year-old woman last week. She has been charged with one count of unlawful act or omission with intent to harm, involving endangering the life, health or safety of any person. She is scheduled to appear before Armadale magistrates court on 5 November.