A WOMAN has been handed a 12 month suspended sentence after she admitted unwrapping Lindt chocolates, swapping them for marbles and rubber balls and returning them to shops to be sold to unsuspecting customers. 

Wendy Allison Purser, 55, of Brentwood, was charged with contaminating or interfering with boxes of Lindt Lindor chocolates between March 10, 2015 and May 16, 2015. 

CPS East of England Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor Frank Ferguson told Basildon Crown Court that Wendy Purser put members of the public at risk of choking when she substituted chocolate truffles for small objects.

He said: “Fortunately, Wendy Purser’s actions in contaminating boxes of Lindt Lindor chocolates in stores in South East Essex were quickly discovered and no harm came to anyone.

“But what she did by contaminating these chocolates put members of the public, and especially children, at real and serious risk of choking.

“Her method of contamination was to open the boxes from underneath, take out the individually wrapped truffles, throw away the truffle and substitute small objects such as rubber balls, marbles, conkers or balls of wool. She would then wrap these items in the paper from the truffles and put back them in the box, which she then sealed.

“Having previously bought the boxes of chocolates, Mrs Purser would then return them to the store as unopened for a refund and they would be put back on the shelves to be bought by unsuspecting members of the public."

The boxes of chocolates were sold at Wilko in Brentwood, at Waitrose in Billericay, Asda Living in Lakeside, Asda Eastgate in Basildon.

Mr Ferguson added: “When she was arrested, it was not clear what Mrs Purser’s motives were for doing this. She and her family do not have any connection to Lindt, or any apparent reason for a grievance against the firm.

"No blackmail demands were made either to Lindt or to the stores where she returned the chocolates.

"Contaminating food in this way is a serious matter and the charge we selected after considering the evidence against Mrs Purser reflects this as it carries a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment.”

Purser was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years after admitting the charge.

The Weekly News has approached Lindt Lindor for comment.