Paralysed and nearly blind

MR VAN Dongen lost the sight in his left eye and most of the vision in his right. He had his lower left leg amputated due to sepsis and lost his left ear.

The civil engineer was left paralysed from the neck down, and could not speak for months after waking from a coma.

Mr van Dongen spent 14 months in Southmead Hospital, Bristol, four in a coma and six on an isolated intensive care ward. Although he was transferred to a burns ward after six months, he was often re-admitted to intensive care due to infections.

Consultant burns surgeon Jonathan Pleat told the court: ‘We have had no equivalent patient with such a horrible and extensive acid attack... He would have required extensive care for the rest of his life.’