Man Charged with Attempted Murder for Allegedly Poisoning Wife’s Tea with Insecticide
Image: Police image by Dylan_Agbagni on Pixabay (left), and image of Stephan Wagner via CSIRO research
A Sydney man has been charged with attempted murder after he was accused of poisoning his wife’s tea with an insecticide.
Stephan Wagner appeared in Campbelltown local court on Wednesday, a day after police arrested him at his home in St Andrews.
According to court documents, the 61-year-old is alleged to have attempted to murder his wife by slipping ant poison into her tea last month.
Police have alleged Wagner dosed his wife’s tea with insecticide in September.
66-year-old Glenda Wagner became seriously ill after consuming tea and was hospitalised for several weeks following the alleged poisoning.
During a police search of the couple’s residence, authorities seized a bottle of insecticide.
Allegations of poisoning by insecticide ‘Ant-Rid’
Court documents indicate that her husband, Mr Wagner, is accused of poisoning her with Ant-Rid, a common pest control product available at Woolworths for approximately $7.50.
According to the American Association of Poison Control Centres, the toxic effects of ant bait (such as Ant-Rid) on humans vary depending on the specific insecticide used. Accidental ingestion of small amounts of borax or boric acid may lead to symptoms including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea, with vomit and stool potentially appearing blue-green. Ingesting larger quantities can result in a red skin rash, skin loss, seizures, and even coma.
The alleged incidents are said to have occurred between January 2022 and September of this year.
Mr Wagner now faces multiple charges: cause poison to be taken with intention to murder (domestic violence), use poison so as to endanger life (domestic violence), and use poison so as to inflict grievous bodily harm (domestic violence).
Court issues AVO to semi-retired Stephan Wagner
Mr Wagner’s LinkedIn profile describes himself as “enjoying semi-retirement whilst still ’empowering business success’”.
The semi-retired businessman has previously held positions in various government departments, including the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, CSIRO, and the University of Western Sydney.
His employment history also indicates that he served as a Communications and Calibrations Service Manager with the Australian Army.
The court issued an apprehended violence order against Mr. Wagner, imposing strict conditions to protect his wife.
Under the order, he is prohibited from contacting her or approaching within one kilometre of her home or workplace, as reported by ABC News.
This legal measure aims to ensure her safety following the serious allegations.
He did not apply for bail and will be remanded in custody until his next appearance in December.
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).
For additional support services, please refer to:
NSW Domestic Violence Line on 1800 656 463
1800 Respect National Helpline on 1800 737 732
Lifeline on 131 114
Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491
Mensline on 1300 789 978
Full Stop Australia on 1800 385 578|
Emergency services on triple-0 if you need immediate care
