GIRLS FED MARIJUANA SAUCE 'BY MISTAKE'

A man has denied deliberately feeding two young girls spaghetti with a
cannabis-laced sauce.

Anthony John Patten yesterday pleaded not guilty in the South Australian
District Court to two counts of administering cannabis to a child.

Patten, 22, was alleged to have administered the drug to two girls, aged 2
and 4, last September at a house in Adelaide's north.

He denied the charges in a hearing yesterday and was bailed to reappear
again next month.

Last September a Magistrates' Court hearing was told the girls were taken
to hospital after allegedly eating spaghetti with a marijuana-laced sauce.

Patten who was caring for a friend's children, told police he served them
spaghetti with a pasta sauce containing cannabis, police prosecutor Harry
Scherwitzel told the earlier Elizabeth Magistrates Court hearing.

He said he had simply forgotten what was in the sauce, the court heard.