CALL FOR KNIFE-STYLE CRACKDOWN

ACID attacks should be treated in the same way as knife crime, say campaigners.

Under current laws, a knife attacker can face attempted murder charges, whereas an acid attack would be classified as grievous bodily harm.

It is also illegal to sell a knife of any kind to anyone under 18 or carry one in public without good reason. However, while attacking someone with a corrosive substance is illegal, it is not against the law to carry it. This means that it is increasingly the weapon of choice for many criminals, as caustic fluid can be bought for as little as £ a litre, and there is no age restriction on its purchase.

Jaf Shah, executive director of the Acid Survivors Trust, called for carrying acid in public to have the same penalty as possessing a knife. He added: ‘In a way, [an acid attack] is almost like a safer crime to commit, especially for gang members perhaps lower down the hierarchy.’