Failing the acid test
No checks by online giants who sell ‘face melter’ used in attacks
toll it has taken on the capital, with a rise in horrific acid attacks, along with a rise in other violent crimes.
“You can’t protect the public on the cheap.” She added: “The Government needs to look at cracking down on the sale of acids online.”
A probe uncovered how easy it is to get hold of acids used in past attacks. After a few clicks, it can be delivered 24 hours later.
One Shot Drain Cleaner is so potent it scarred a five-year-old boy after it was used innocently by a neighbour. It burnt through his pipes overnight and through to the floor below, where the child was sleeping.
Trading Standards officers said they had warned high-street retailers about sales of the product to under-21s after it was linked to a number of recent attacks, leading to three jail sentences. Yet the chemical can easily be bought from homeware stores’ sites as well as eBay, where no checks take place. The first chemical bought was from Finchley Enterprise via Amazon for £6.39. Another litre quickly followed from Homecare Essentials, at £7.45. The box states: “Causes severe skin burns and eye damage. Keep out of reach of children. “Wear protective gloves/ protective clothing/eye protection/face protection. If in eyes immediately call a poison centre/doctor.” There has been a record number of acid attacks in London. Metropolitan Police data showed 465 were recorded last year, up from 395 in 2016 and 255 in 2015. Attacks increased six-fold over six years. Areas such as the West Midlands and Essex have also seen large rises in acid attacks, as reports soared from 340 in 2014 to 843 last year. Some 109 people were treated in hospital in 2016 after being assaulted with a corrosive substance, including a child aged between one and four.
Previous reports show only 44 patients were treated for such injuries at NHS hospitals in England in 2006/7.
There was a steep rise after model Katie Piper, 34, was attacked with sulphuric acid in 2008.
Alex Mayes, of charity Victim Support, said: “We fully support the Government’s plans to bring in measures to ban the sale of certain acids to under-18s and to make it against the law to possess acid in a public place.
“However, in order to protect people from these shocking attacks, it’s vital that the Government continue to evaluate whether the right measures are in place to stop these substances being so easily available.”
Amazon declined to comment.