ATTACKS ON THE RISE

THE use of acid attacks in mug- gings and personal conflicts is on the rise globally.

Although they are most common in South Asia, the attacks have been recorded all over the world, including in Europe – with documented cases in Germany, Italy and France.

However, the UK has emerged as a hotspot for acid attacks, with cases more than doubling from under 200 in 2014 to 431 in 2016:

In April 2017, 14 people were injured in an acid attack in a London nightclub by the father of Only Way Is Essex star Ferne McCann’s newborn baby girl. Arthur Collins, 25, was found guilty of the attack last month. The trial heard he threw acid across the dancefloor at a nightclub in East London. He will be sentenced later this month.

Last July, a 16-year-old youth was charged over a string of acid attacks across various areas in north and east London. All five of the victims had been riding mopeds at the time.

Probably, the most wellknown victim of an acid attack in this part of the world is former model Katie Piper, 34. The attack in 2008 caused horrific injuries, including blinding her in her left eye. It was organised by her exboyfriend Danny Lynch and carried out by Stefan Sylvestre; both are serving life sentences.

To treat acid attacks, people are advised to remove contaminated clothing, try to wash the acid off with copious amounts of water as quickly as possible, and seek first aid.