A SOLICITOR has appeared in court accused of injecting blood into supermarket goods.

       Leoaai Elghareeb, 37, is accused of contaminating goods inside a Tesco Express, Little Waitrose and Sainsbury's Local.

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       Leoaai Elghareeb, 37, is accused of contaminating goods in supermarkets 5

       Police officers in forensic suits speak to a colleague outside Tesco Express Credit: PA

       All three stores were sent into lockdown after reports of a man said to be tampering with food in Fulham, West London.

       Mr Elghareeb, 37, of Fulham, was charged with contaminating or interfering with goods with intent.

       The practicing solicitor, who runs his own legal consultancy business. appeared at Westminster Magistrate's Court today.

       He indicated no plea this afternoon.

       FOOD 'INJECTIONS'

       The court heard the defendant is alleged to have entered the Waitrose store at 7.30pm and started "throwing around" syringes filled with blood and injecting them into food items.

       Elghareeb, described in court as a "man of previous good character", is accused of throwing eggs in the nearby Sainsbury's store, and injecting more items in Tesco Express before being arrested.

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       The precise contents of the blood are not known, the court heard.

       Elghareeb was remanded in custody and will appear at Isleworth Crown Court on September 24.

       On Wednesday, police were called to reports of a man shouting abuse in the street and "injecting food with a number of syringes".

       Shoppers were told to stay away and bin anything they had bought immediately.

       SHOPS CLOSED

       Officers in forensic suits were seen in Fulham Palace Road on Thursday while some foods were bagged up as evidence.

       Hammersmith and Fulham Council said: "The supermarkets - Tesco, Waitrose and Sainsbury's - have closed and crime scenes are in place.

       "Officers were called at around 7.40pm after a man was reported to be shouting abuse at people in the street.

       "The man is alleged to have visited three supermarkets on Fulham Palace Road and injected foodstuffs using a number of syringes. He has been taken into police custody.

       "Members of the public are advised as a precaution to dispose of any food items bought from these supermarkets this evening.

       "H&F Council's Environmental Health team are now working with the supermarket branches affected."

       It is not known how many items were potentially contaminated or what they were injected with, but a council spokesman said processed meat and microwaveable products were believed to have been affected.

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       Police forensics examine a Tesco Local supermarket in Fulham Credit: LNP 5

       Little Waitrose on Fulham Palace Road, west London, was closed after a man was arrested on suspicion of contaminating food with a syringe Credit: PA 5

       Police were called to the scene at 7.40pm on August 25 Credit: LNP