A Polish cleaner is facing 20 years in jail for repeatedly poisoning a co-worker’s cups of tea with limescale and rust remover.
It was gathered that the cleaner, whose name is only Małgorzata W., began mixing the substances into the tea after the victim criticised her work performance at the radio station where they both worked in the Polish capital, Warsaw.
The victim first noticed changes in the taste and color of her tea in November 2024, accompanied by abdominal pain, throat burning and shortness of breath.
According to Mail Online, Medical examinations revealed burns in her mouth and digestive tract, leaving her unable to eat normally.
‘Other employees didn’t have the same issue…It was then that the woman began to suspect that the problem might not lie with the drinks themselves,’ said Piotr Antoni Skiba, spokesman for the Warsaw District Prosecutor’s Office.
In December 2024, the victim left her cup of tea unattended and noticed it had been tampered with.
She then borrowed a hidden camera from a private detective, which captured Małgorzata W. spraying limescale and rust remover into the cup and stirring it into the drink.
The footage also showed her searching the victim’s locker, purse, and coat.
Skiba said: ‘Cleaning agents were detected in all liquids supplied by the injured party – anionic and non-ionic detergents in concentrations typical for working solutions used in cleaning surfaces.’
Małgorzata W. initially denied the allegations but later partially confessed after police bugged the woman’s phone and heard her confessing to her friend.
She admitted to adding window cleaner to the drinks several times but said she had not intended to cause serious harm.
Police spokesman Jakub Pacyniak said: ‘According to the evidence gathered in this case, the women’s actions were motivated by a professional conflict with the victim.
‘They all worked for the same external cleaning company operating at an office building.
‘During the investigation, police seized toxic sanitary products, beverage bottles laced with chemicals, and other items and substances constituting evidence.’
The cleaner has now been charged with attempted grievous bodily harm which carries a sentence of three to 20 years.
