JOURNALIST TELLS JURY OF ‘ACID ATTACK’

A JOURNALIST who writes about organised crime yesterday told a jury he had acid thrown in his face by a man claiming to be a postman.

Russell Findlay, 44, was giving evidence at the trial of William Burns, 56, and Alexander Porter, 48, who deny assaulting him to the danger of his life by throwing sulphuric acid in his face.

He told the court he answered the door at his home in Glasgow’s west end on December 23, 2015. He said a man in a Royal Mail jacket and carrying a Royal Mail bag handed him a card.

Russell said: “He asked me to sign. I felt liquid splash on to the side of my face. “

He said the man, whom he identified in court as William Burns, tried to barge in. Russell, who has written about organised crime and was investigations editor at the Scottish Sun at the time, said: “I knew this was extremely serious. I thought it was an acidic or toxic substance.”

He told the jury at the High Court in Glasgow that his right eye was blurry and his face was burning.

Russell said he bundled his attacker out of the house and his 10-year-old daughter alerted a neighbour who called police. Prosecutor Richard Goddard asked: “Do you have any reason to believe that attack was related to anything other than your work?” He replied: “No.”

Burns and Porter, from Paisley, also deny trying to kill Ross Sherlock by firing a shotgun at him in 2015, in Bishopbriggs, near Glasgow.

Prosecutors allege the offences were aggravated by a connection with organised crime. The trial before Judge Lord Matthews continues.