German tried to murder wife with poisoned cheese

BRAUNSCHWEIG - A German man tried to kill his wife with poisoned cheese after she threatened to divorce him, a court heard Friday.

The 57-year-old went on trial in the city of Braunschweig accused of attempted murder, after allegedly trying to feed the poisoned cheese to his wife.

The court will also hear charges that following the unsuccessful poisoning attempt, the man tried to shoot the woman with his hunting rifle - an act averted at the last minute by the couple’s son.

At the opening session the man, who is not named for legal reasons, said that he had had “a completely harmonious marriage”, although the couple had been separated since the 1990s.

The poisoned dairy product was reportedly of the Harzer variety, a strong-smelling soft cheese particular to central Germany.