Perth restaurant owner convicted after kids were served mosquito repellant
Sydney Morning Herald
by Rebecca PeppiattMarch 3, 2026
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A Perth restaurant owner has been fined $40,000 after being convicted of failing to comply with food safety standards following an incident where his bartender mistakenly served two children and their mother mosquito repellant instead of cranberry juice. The case occurred at Michele Angiuli’s now-shutdown Italian restaurant in Crawley in 2024. The bar tender accidentally poured citronella oil mixed with insect repellent into the drinks, which left the children with burning mouths after tasting it. The parents promptly reported the incident to police and took their daughters to Perth Children’s Hospital for examination.
During the trial, Angiuli pleaded not guilty to charges of failing to comply with food safety regulations, knowingly selling unsafe food, and selling food that did not meet the customers’ orders. He argued that he should not be held responsible for his employee’s actions. However, the court found him liable, citing his lack of a food safety officer and a disorganized bar area as contributing factors to the incident. The magistrate also criticized Angiuli for being an “uncredible” witness, claiming he attempted to shift blame onto his employees.
The court compared this case to similar incidents, including one where children were served marijuana-laced brownies and another involving a metal filing found in a fast-food meal. Angiuli and his company were each fined $20,000, with an additional $20,000
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Originally published on Sydney Morning Herald on 3/3/2026