The owner of a Perth cafe that allegedly sold marijuana-laced brownies to a mother and her young children will go to trial after pleading not guilty to two charges.
Prosecutors say the brownies were sold at Bada Bing Cafe, a family business run by Nathan Sharp and his wife Simona, who have four young children of their own, in Woodlands on March 2 and 3.
Police did not lay charges as it could not be proved who laced the brownies but the City of Stirling has pursued two counts of selling unsuitable food under the Food Act.
The complainants, known only as Michael and Sharon, claim their five-year-old daughter Emily and three-year-old son Thomas suffered symptoms after eating the brownies.
The girl described things as "jumping" and her vision became impaired, they told ABC radio.
They went to hospital and Sharon began developing similar symptoms, while their son was drowsy.
Hospital tests showed all three had traces of marijuana in their system, they said.
Michael, who did not eat the brownie or have any symptoms, said he returned to the cafe the next day, bought another brownie, put it straight in the freezer and it was taken by police a week or so later.
Analysis of one brownie confirmed the presence of THC and other cannabinoids, a spokeswoman for the City of Stirling said.
She said it appeared to be an isolated incident and the city believed it had addressed any potential risk to the community.
Sharp entered his pleas in Perth Magistrates Court on Friday.
Outside court, he thanked the community for their ongoing support.
"I look forward to defending these charges," he told reporters.
"We'll let the system take its course."
In a statement issued through defence counsel Shash Nigam earlier this month, the Sharps said the family's allegations "came as a total shock".
They said they were "most disappointed" they learnt of the charges on ABC radio as they and Mr Nigam had not been served with any papers.
Sharp will face a trial allocation hearing in the same court on September 24.
The court heard the trial was expected to last more than one day and both sides would likely each call seven witnesses.
Australian Associated Press
