Andrew Bodenham, and a bottle of milk similar to the one he poisoned.
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A REJECTED boyfriend was jailed for six months at Cardiff Crown Court for poisoning his former lover's special diet milk with white spirit before she made a cup of tea.
Jealous Andrew Bodenham, 32, sneaked into her fridge to pour the chemical into the carton of dietary milk for high cholesterol.
A court heard Bodenham was allowed to stay in her home by Terri Morgan, 35, after the pair split - but was jealous at her seeing a new man.
He spiked a carton of her Flora Pro Activ milk with the white spirit which can cause lung damage, abdominal pain and respiratory tract irritation.
But she luckily noticed the milk had curdled as she made the tea - and then smelt the strong whiff of white spirit.
Prosecutor Gareth James said the couple had been together for four years - but she described him as "jealous" and "controlling".
She told police their relationship had become "stressful, full of sadness and unhappiness."
Cardiff Crown Court heard she discovered in December that Bodenham had been contacting other women on social media.
She ended the relationship but allowed him to stay in her house in Monmouth, Gwent, until he found somewhere else to live.
Mr James said: "She began a new relationship in January. Bodenham was not happy about her new relationship and made threats toward her."
She was making a cup of tea using her special milk for controlling cholesterol - and was planning to pour some for her schoolgirl daughter.
Mr James said: "It looked like the milk had curdled, which she thought was strange because it was not out of date."
He added that there was a strong smell of white spirit and she immediately suspected her ex.
Mr James said she confronted him and he immediately broke down, admitting what he had done.
He feared the daughter may have drunk it and broke down and cried.
He begged for forgiveness but it was "the last straw".
image: http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/276352/binaries/WNS_140916_Poison_Ex_Lover_05.JPG
The court heard she took the carton to the police station and the defendant was arrested after forensic examination confirmed it did contain white spirit.
In a police interview Bodenham said he was in a "low mood" and had taken amphetamine, adding he had no recollection of putting white spirit in the milk carton.
The offence – maliciously administering poison with intent to injure another person – falls under Section 24 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.
Lawrence Jones, defending, accepted the offence was "stupid, reckless and dangerous" and submitted his client was "not thinking straight".
He added: "He was finding it impossible to cope with the break-up of the relationship."
Lasting liver damage
The court heard he also found it difficult to control his temper following the death of his brother and was suffering from depression.
Mr Jones said police took the defendant straight to Nevill Hall Hospital after his arrest as he had taken an overdose of paracetamol, causing lasting liver damage.
The defence barrister emphasised that no-one was harmed by the offence and said his client was now in a new relationship.
Judge Christopher Vosper QC said: "This is not the sort of offence that comes before the courts frequently."
But he added: "You must have done it with the intention that she should consume that white spirit."
Bodenham had maintained he could not remember the offence, but Judge Vosper said he found that difficult to accept "given your reaction when she confronted you".
He concluded that the white spirit "could be seen as a weapon".
Bodenham, from Rose Avenue in Monmouth, was sentenced to six months in prison and a restraining order was made.
A restraining order was also imposed upon Bodenham, barring him from contacting his former partner.
Read more at http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/jealous-ex-poisoned-woman-s-diet-milk-which-her-daughter-came-close-to-drinking/story-29718654-detail/story.html#0SZ9lzMr8PmWCGH4.99
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