‘MURDER BY ACID’
Nurse’s gangs hell
A NURSE was killed when she was showered in acid as two teens fought over the bottle, a jury heard.
Joanne Rand, 47, sat down on a bench after visiting her daughter’s grave. But yards away 19-year-old Xeneral Webster pulled out the acid as he confronted a drug dealer he claimed had sold him spice instead of cannabis. The open bottle was knocked out of Webster’s hand and kicked towards Joanne. She was covered from head-to-toe in the burning liquid, screamed in pain and ran to a nearby KFC in High Wycombe, Bucks, to douse herself in water. Joanne was treated in hospital after suffering burns to her feet, hair and one of her arms. She died 11 days later from multi-organ failure after developing septicaemia caused by the burns, Reading Crown Court heard.
Bottle
Webster, from Westway in west London, denies murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter. He has also pleaded not guilty to possessing bottles of acid and ammonia, attempted GBH with intent and robbery of a bicycle. Alison Hunter, prosecuting, said CCTV footage showed Webster reaching into his satchel for a bottle. The bottle hit Joanne who “instantly noticed that her hair was wet and that her face had begun to burn”. The CCTV showed Webster putting on a balaclava before cycling back to the bench to retrieve the bottle, the court heard. He later discarded it and the bicycle before getting the train back to London, the jury was told. The trial continues.