‘SEX ATTACK’ SHAME OF TOWIE ACID ATTACKER
He threatened ex’s mum
THE ex of TOWIE star Ferne McCann once threatened to rape and throw acid in the face of the mother of another former girlfriend, a court heard yesterday.
Arthur Collins, 25, squirted acid at the packed Mangle E8 nightclub in Hackney, east London, injuring up to 22 people in a tit-for-tat gang war.
Collins, the father of Ferne’s newborn daughter, was found guilty by a jury at Wood Green Crown Court of five counts of GBH with intent and nine counts of ABH.
Prosecutor Luke Ponte said Collins has previous convictions for using threatening and offensive words and was cautioned for calling a former partner’s mother a “c**t” and a “f**king foreigner”.
Vicious
The acid attack happened while he was subject to a suspended sentence for a vicious assault on a man in a south London nightclub in 2015.
Mr Ponte said: “On December 28, 2015, Mr Collins entered a nightclub in Greenwich called Studio 338.
“While in the club he assaulted a male by punching him in the face, causing a cut which required 20 stitches.
“He gave a no-comment interview but said it was a pre-emptive strike as the male was being aggressive. It was captured on the club’s CCTV. It showed it was an unprovoked punch and the victim was not being aggressive.
“He was convicted after a trial and sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months. He was also handed 100 hours of unpaid work.
“In addition there are two non-convictions. A reprimand for two matters, theft and a public order section four matter again.
“He was also given a caution in respect of racially or religiously aggravated harassment without violence that took place on April 1, 2013. He was cautioned on April 11, 2013.
“He threatened the mum of an ex-girlfriend over the phone to have her raped and throw acid in her face at approximately 3.50am. The victim had taken a call from Mr Collins on her mobile. She heard a male voice saying ‘You’re a c**t, you’re a f**ing foreigner’.
“Mr Collins was interviewed in relation to this matter in which he admitted calling the victim a ‘ fucking c**t’ and a ‘f**king foreigner’. He said he was sorry for his actions.”
The court heard Collins was also fined for offences including threatening and offensive words and criminal damage between 2008 and 2012.
He was disqualified for driving under the influence of alcohol in November last year.
Victims of Collins’ acid attack took to the witness box yesterday.
Phoebe Georgiou, 23, suffered extensive burns to her arm and chest when Collins threw acid into the packed nightclub floor.
She told the court: “I mourn the old feeling. I mourn the happy and confident woman I once was. I grieve for her every day.
“That fateful Easter Sunday the day my life was taken from me. Physically and mentally I will never be the same.”
Lauren Trent, 22, was celebrating her birthday with friends at the club that evening, including fellow victim and best friend Sophie Hall, also 22.
Miss Trent suffered third degree burns to her neck, stomach, hands, chest, legs and foot.
Screaming
She said: “April 16 is my birthday. I was celebrating my 22nd birthday that night. Forever my birthday will be an anniversary of the night I was involved in an acid attack, a crime that neither I or anyone should have been a victim of.”
Sophie Hall was splashed by the acid on her face, blinding her temporarily and also scarring the upper part of her arm.
She said: “I was in extreme pain. My skin and eyes were burning. I was screaming in agony. I was frightened I was blind.
“It’s difficult for me to give a detailed explanation of what happened that night, and the next day, because I was in so much pain.”
When she was finally able to see her injuries after her eyes were treated she said: “My face was clearly a mess. I was so badly burnt and I knew this was going to scar me for life.
“Eight months later I’m scarred on my face, arms and shoulders.”
Collins, of Broxbourne, Herts, was convicted of five counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and nine of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Andre Phoenix, 21, of Tottenham, a semi-pro mixed-martial arts fighter, was earlier cleared by the jury of involvement in the attack.