'Vengeful' farm worker behind needles in Australia's strawberries arrested
An Australian farm worker has been linked to the strawberry sabotage that shook produce trade in September this year.
When Australian supermarkets discovered needles inside the strawberries that they were offering to customers, Prime Minister Scott Morrison responded with outrage. There were calls for the maximum sentence for food contamination and for the perpetrators, who were called "cowards", to be brought to book.
Citizens rallied behind strawberry farmers while investigations into the sabotage, which affected 68 strawberry brands, carried on.
Now, the culprit has been identified as a Queensland strawberry farm worker named My Ut Trinh. It is alleged that DNA matching Trinh's was found on one of the needles at Berrylicious, where she was employed.
After appearing before the magistrate's court in Brisbane, Trinh was charged with "seven counts of contamination of goods with intent to cause economic loss".
The judge believes that Trinh was "motivated by spite or revenge over a workplace grievance", moving her to plant needles in the strawberries.
If Trinh is found guilty, she faces up to ten years in prison. She has no prior convictions and has co-operated fully with the law up until this point.
Do you think feeling dissatisfied at work is enough reason for strategic sabotage such as this?