Advertisement

Hungarian winemaker charged over deadly antifreeze wine

Hungarian winemaker charged over deadly antifreeze wine

Budapest (AFP) - A Hungarian winemaker who admitted putting antifreeze in his wine to poison thieves was charged Thursday with manslaughter after one man died and five were hospitalised, police said.

The 37 year-old from a town 50 kilometres (30 miles) east of Budapest, told police that people regularly stole from his cellar so he contaminated the barrels to "teach them a lesson".

He denied intending to kill anyone, however, saying he only wanted to make the thieves ill.

Police said in a statement that a 30-year-old man, according to media reports a known thief, took several jugs of wine from the barrels on October 24, later sharing them with acquaintances.

He was taken to hospital a few days later with suspected poisoning and died on November 1. Experts are examining the precise cause of death, police said.

Five others are in hospital in a "serious" condition, police said.