TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Taipei court on Wednesday sentenced a Taiwanese woman to 11 years and two months in prison for attempting to murder an Australian exchange student by repeatedly lacing his drinks with rat poison in 2023.
The Taipei District Court convicted Yang Chin-ping (楊錦屏) of attempted murder after prosecutors accused her of poisoning Australian exchange student Alex Shorey on three occasions, per Liberty Times. The ruling can be appealed.
Prosecutors said Yang began poisoning Shorey on March 24, 2023, after becoming upset that he planned to return to Australia alone and end contact with her. They said she mixed a liquid rodenticide into grape juice, causing severe abdominal pain, persistent nosebleeds, and other symptoms.
Shorey was later diagnosed with poisoning by a superwarfarin-type rodenticide after weeks of treatment failed to identify the cause, Liberty Times reported. His father traveled to Taiwan and planned to take him back to Australia for treatment on April 16.
Prosecutors said Yang poisoned Shorey a second time after learning of his planned departure by mixing liquid rat poison and blood pressure medication into his drinks. During one hospitalization, she allegedly persuaded Shorey’s father, who could not read Chinese, to sign a form declining admission to the intensive care unit, though he ultimately insisted his son receive intensive care.
After Shorey recovered enough to return to Australia in May 2023, prosecutors said Yang poisoned him a third time, causing his condition to deteriorate again, according to Liberty Times. Shorey’s mother later found an empty rat poison bottle while cleaning the couple’s residence, and he returned to Australia for further treatment.
Shorey and his parents testified in Taipei in March. Shorey described becoming ill after drinking beverages Yang gave him and testified that he believed she became jealous after learning he had dated a female coworker at a cram school.
Yang denied poisoning Shorey during closing arguments and accused prosecutors of fabricating the case. She said she had only wanted to help him and claimed the rat poison found at her home was intended for her own use because she missed her late British husband, who died suddenly in 2023.
In its ruling, the court said Yang continued poisoning Shorey despite witnessing the physical and emotional suffering caused by the toxic substances, acting solely to satisfy her own desires and showing no regard for human life, per UDN. It said Shorey endured prolonged physical harm, while his parents also suffered significant emotional distress.
The judges said Yang showed no genuine remorse, repeatedly changed her statements during the investigation, and failed to seek the victim’s forgiveness. They concluded that her actions were premeditated and particularly egregious, warranting a lengthy prison term despite the offense remaining at the attempted murder stage.
Shorey’s attorney, Chen Liang-ting (陳亮廷), attended the sentencing on his behalf and said the family was grateful for the public’s concern, per SET News. Chen said the 11-year, two-month sentence was in line with their expectations and confirmed that Shorey has also filed a civil damages claim, though he declined to disclose the amount.
