Australian man testifies in rat poison attempted murder case

Taipei, March 11 (CNA) An Australian man who became seriously ill after ingesting rat poison that prosecutors allege was fed to him by his Taiwanese romantic partner testified in the woman's trial for attempted murder in Taipei on Wednesday.

The victim, Alex Shorey, was a 24-year-old exchange student in Taiwan in 2023 when he was allegedly poisoned with the rodenticide "superwarfarin" weeks before he was scheduled to return home to Australia.

After ending up in intensive care, Shorey departed Taiwan on a medical evacuation flight, while his partner, a woman in her late 40s surnamed Yang (楊), was charged with attempted murder in December 2024.

During testimony in the trial at the Taipei District Court Wednesday, Shorey said he and Yang got along well in the early stages of their relationship.

At the time, Shorey said, Yang said she wanted to be in an open relationship, which he assumed was because she missed her husband, who had recently died under mysterious circumstances.

An investigation into the December 2022 death of Yang's husband, a British national, following what was diagnosed as a urinary tract infection, was dropped by prosecutors in January due to insufficient evidence.

According to Shorey, Yang subsequently took his passport, making it impossible for him to withdraw money sent by his family, and giving her more control over his daily life.

Shorey said he had told Yang in March 2023 that he was planning to return to Australia in April.

Only two days later, he became seriously ill with nosebleeds, vomiting, and bloody urine after drinking a glass of grape juice Yang gave him, which he recalled had a strange taste.

In the hospital, Shorey said that Yang had cut off his doctors when they tried to communicate with him in English. Yang insisted that they explain his situation in Chinese and allow her to translate for him.

After being released from hospital, Shorey said he had stayed with Yang, as he was still in poor health. In early April, his father, a doctor, flew out to Taiwan to be with him as he recovered.

On April 16, Shorey said, Yang gave him a grass jelly beverage. The following day, he was rushed to the hospital after being unable to get out of bed, ultimately ending up in intensive care.

According to prosecutors, Shorey's mother found an empty container of rodenticide in a wardrobe at Yang's residence when packing her son's things on May 1. This was consistent with what a doctor privately told him may have caused his illness after his first hospitalization.

Shorey ultimately left Taiwan on a medivac flight on May 3, 2023.

In their indictment, prosecutors said they are seeking a prison term of at least 8 years for Yang.