TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Australian national Alex Shorey testified Wednesday (March 11) at Taipei District Court (台北地方法院) in a cross-border poisoning case, accusing a Taiwanese woman surnamed Yang (楊) of attempted murder dating to 2023. Prosecutors allege Yang poisoned Shorey by lacing grape juice with rat poison after he expressed his desire to return to Australia. The defendant continues to plead not guilty, with prosecutors seeking an eight-year prison sentence.
Shorey suffered nausea and vomiting that led to two hospitalizations, with the second incident proving nearly fatal and requiring emergency medical intervention. His mother discovered an empty rat poison bottle while packing his belongings in Taiwan, prompting her to report the suspected poisoning to Taiwanese authorities. The discovery triggered the criminal investigation that resulted in Yang's prosecution, with Shorey now seeking justice after a lengthy rehabilitation process.
Yang invited Shorey to stay at her Taipei rental after meeting him on Facebook following her husband's death in 2022. Shorey and his parents traveled from Australia to testify at Wednesday's hearing, with his father, a qualified doctor, having previously rushed to Taiwan to care for him during the medical crisis. Yang's British ex-husband's brother also attended the court session, reportedly suspecting foul play in his own brother's death.
Shorey, accompanied by his family, appeared healthy before entering the courtroom and warned others in Mandarin to be cautious. Lawyer Yu Wei-te (余韋德) noted that witnesses can claim travel expenses, though round-trip airfare costs from Australia remain unresolved. The two, once close friends who met online, now face each other in court as adversaries in this attempted murder trial. ◼
