Pregnant star tells of strain as ex appears in court over acid attack
THE former boyfriend of pregnant reality TV star Ferne McCann hobbled into court on crutches yesterday to face charges over a nightclub acid attack.
Arthur Collins, 24, is accused of 14 counts of grievous bodily harm with intent and one of throwing corrosive fluid with intent to burn, maim or disfigure.
Twenty people were hurt – including two who were blinded in one eye – when they were doused with a noxious substance in the club early on Easter Monday.
Yesterday an unshaven Collins was led by security guards into the dock at Thames magistrates court in east London.
He was arrested by armed police who swooped on an address in Rushden, Northants, on Saturday.
The scaffolder, of Broxbourne, Herts, was reportedly Tasered by police after leaping out of a window and landing in a garden.
He was remanded in custody as The Only Way Is Essex (Towie) star Ferne, 26, broke her silence after the acid attack at the Mangle club in Hackney, east London. Just days after revealing plans for a romantic wedding, heartbroken Ferne confirmed her pregnancy and split from Collins.
Her spokeswoman said: “Ferne is grateful for the sympathetic way news of her pregnancy has been covered, and for people’s support, and obviously her first concern is for her child’s health.
“Accordingly she does not wish to discuss the pregnancy further, given the early stage it is at and the immense strain that Ferne is currently under.
“Nor does she wish to discuss her ex-boyfriend, who she does not recognise from the events of the last week.
“Ferne is determined to face the challenges of being a single parent with all her energy.”
The statement ended with Ferne – who was not at the club on the night of the drama – offering her thoughts to the “victims of the horrific attack”.
Collins was in the dock with Andre Phoenix, 21, of Tottenham, north London, who is accused of throwing a corrosive fluid with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to three men and four women.
Prosecutor Ciro D’Alessio told the court there was a third, unidentified suspect at large.
Collins and Phoenix were remanded in custody to appear at crown court on May 22.