A solicitor accused of using syringes to inject blood into food at three west London supermarkets has appeared in court.

Leoaai Elghareeb is charged with contaminating or interfering with goods with intent at three stores – a Tesco Express, Little Waitrose and Sainsbury’s Local – on Fulham Palace Road.

The 37-year-old, from Fulham, did not indicate a plea at Westminster magistrates court on Friday afternoon.

The court heard the defendant is alleged to have entered the Waitrose store at 7.30pm on Wednesday with syringes filled with blood. The prosecutor Jennifer Garland said Elghareeb was accused of using the syringes to “inject food items with blood”.