Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Acid attack victims tell of horrific face injuries
17-year-old from London appears in court charged with wounding three people Exclusive
Three people were left with horrific injuries after acid was fired in their faces in Canterbury.
Their skin blistered and steamed after the corrosive liquid was sprayed at them in St Peter’s Place on Friday afternoon.
Police have charged a 17-yearold youth from London, who appeared in court this week.
Homeless Emily Thompson, 36, was the worst affected and suffered agonising pain as the liquid was shot directly into her eyes.
The acid is likely to leave one eye permanently damaged.
“The pain was worse than child labour,” she said. “The colour in one eye has changed completely and the vision is very blurry.
“The attack was completely unexpected and the liquid, which we think is battery acid, was squirted out of something like a Lucozade bottle.”
The attack happened at 4pm on Friday amid increasingly violent crimes on Canterbury’s streets.
On Thursday night a man had a “noxious liquid” sprayed in his face during a separate robbery in St Stephen’s.
Also hurt in the St Peter’s Place attack were homeless Justin Vincent, 39, and Janet Durrant, 69, who lives in a flat near the scene.
All three were taken to William Harvey Hospital, Ashford, and will require ongoing treatment.
Mr Vincent sustained welts to his forehead.
He told the Gazette: “There was just so much burning on my face.
“My eyesight went all blurry so I just shut my eyes.
“I thought for a while that I might not be able to see again.
“The liquid was so strong it literally melted out clothes.
“The ambulance people were very good, though. They came to get us straight away.”
It is understood that all four people involved are known to each other.
Tests are being carried out on the liquid used.
The arrested youth, who is from the Forest Gate area of east London, appeared at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
He spoke only to confirm his name and address, with magistrates placing a restriction on reporting his name because of his age.
He is charged with two counts of the wounding with intent of Mrs Durrant, Mr Vincent and Miss Thompson.
Prosecutor Adrian Crossley told the court if convicted the youth faces anywhere between two and 14 years in prison.
“These are grave allegations,” the barrister said.
“The liquid went into the eyes, but the prosecution do not as yet know the exact nature of it except that it was heavily corrosive.
“It caused blistering to their skin and steam to come from their faces as the acid hit them.
“Emily Thompson sustained the greatest damage and may have permanently suffered partial blindness.
“The liquid burned holes in their clothing and Janet Durrant says she has never felt anything like it.”
The prosecution alleges that the trio were attacked twice in separate incidents 10 minutes apart.
Magistrates remanded the 17-year-old in custody overnight Monday into Tuesday, when he appeared before the youth court at Folkestone.