Bozena Knapinksi: Hyper-sensitive husband Robert who accused wife of poisoning him dubbed her ‘Chemical Ali’

A woman who allegedly tried to poison her husband has chosen not to give evidence at trial but told police he’s paranoid and used to accuse her of it “all the time”. Bozena Knapinski, 63, has been on trial in the Supreme Court of WA all week, charged with six counts of doing an act, with intent to harm, that would likely endanger the life, health or safety of Robert Knapinski. The Polish migrants had been married for 39 years when he reported her in 2023 to police, who had him tested in hospital, where the 65-year-old was found to have elevated levels of the trace mineral selenium. In her police interview played in court on Thursday, Mrs Knapinski initially denied having anything to do with it, saying she had “absolutely no idea” why his levels were high. She had earlier told the detectives that she applied selenium drops to her hair to prevent hair loss and was also taking it orally, adding a few drops into water each morning along with powdered collagen. She said she going through “a pre-menopausal sort of age” and was also taking anti-ageing supplements, buying them either from Chemist Warehouse or online. Mrs Knapinksi also said her husband — who she painted as a hypochondriac who relentlessly complained about mystery illnesses — had been “taking some of mine” given she seemed healthy. But her story changed when she was confronted with video footage he had covertly taken in their living room, showing her squeezing selenium into his water bottle after he left the room on four occasions. “He’s putting a trap, isn’t he? Typical,” she said, seeing him setting up the recording. “I did it once a week for his benefit.” She said he was “very stubborn” and didn’t take supplements long enough to give them a chance to work, so she did it behind his back to make him healthy. “To stop being miserable and concentrate on life,” she said. “It’s not only for your hair, it’s a supplement for longevity.” When one of the detectives said the label warned selenium was toxic in high doses, Mrs Knapinski said: “I was doing the same for myself”. “I want to say I think this is a misunderstanding.” Told she could be charged, she said she was shocked and petrified. Earlier, she complained he had stopped working after just a few years, having hurt his back, and filled his days with “nothing”. Meanwhile, she was doing “everything, everything” — working two jobs, doing all the cooking and cleaning. He nagged about what products she used, dubbing her “Chemical Ali”. “I can’t use bleach in the toilet. I have to use something organic or not smelling,” she said. He would “interrogate” her mother’s cooking and wanted to know “every single” ingredient in a product. “Once I left the home because I’d had enough. He is, how do you say, controlling.” She said he was verbally and emotionally abusive, had isolated them from friends - and had driven her to the brink of a nervous breakdown. “He always says to me ‘You should be grateful I am not an Arab’. “I would be slapped, I would be beaten.” She said she had “seriously” considered divorce during a second separation but their son Pawel and her parents begged her not to. The couple split after she was charged. Closing submissions will be heard on Friday.