AN ALGERIAN man arrested after allegedly spraying a mixture of urine, faeces and domestic products' over food in two supermarkets has been remanded in custody.

Sahnoun Daifallah, 42, of Bibury Road, White City, Gloucester, is also accused of two similar attacks on earlier dates in a bookshop and a pub in the Cotswolds.

Daifallah had no solicitor and represented himself at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court yesterday.

In court he indicated that he would be pleading not guilty plea to four charges of contaminating food or books.

The charges relate to incidents on May 14 at Cirencester and Birdlip, Gloucestershire, and to two more at supermarkets in Quedgeley and Abbeydale, Gloucester, on May 16.

Prosecutor Liz Thomas said that because the total damage said to be done totalled more than £10,000, magistrates did not have adequate powers to deal with the case and it should be sent to crown court for trial.

Ms Thomas alleged that Daifallah's first offence was at the Air Balloon Public House at Birdlip.

On the same day, Ms Thomas continued, Daifallah allegedly went into Waterstone's Bookshop in Cirencester, where the following day a brown very smelly unpleasant substance' was found on a number of books.

The store was closed for two hours while staff threw out 706 books, which cost £3,000.

Ms Thomas claimed in court that two days later Daifallah was seen in Tesco at Quedgeley.

It is claimed that a fluid' was squirted onto items on display and that soon after shoppers could smell urine around the store.

Forensic tests had not been completed yet, Ms Thomas said, but Tesco's own tests indicated a combination of urine, faeces and domestic products were involved in the incident.

Daifallah was also accused of being involved in a similar incident at Morrisons in Abbeydale, Ms Thomas said.

Both supermarkets were closed because of the incidents and had to be cleaned and restocked at a cost of hundreds of thousands, Ms Thomas said.

Daifallah was arrested shortly after police were called to Morrisons.

In court Daifallah offered no argument against being remanded in custody.

Magistrates agreed that the case should be adjourned to Gloucester Crown Court on May 28.

9:15am Tuesday 20th May 2008

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