Pictured, 3 Slovaks and Afghan accused of acid attack on boy of 3 in cathedral city
THE father of a three-year-old boy appeared in court yesterday charged with conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm after a suspected acid attack on his son.
The child’s mother initially thought he had bumped into something while they were shopping in Worcester last Saturday, magistrates were told.
But to her horror she then realised his skin had started to redden and he could not open his eyes.
The boy was released from hospital the next day and he and his Afghanborn mother are in ‘a place of safety’, the court heard.
The child’s 39-year-old Afghan-born father – who cannot be named for legal reasons – spoke through a translator to confirm his name, age and address when he appeared at Kidderminster Magistrates Court yesterday. With him in court were three Slovakian men, Adam Cech, 27, Jan Dudi, 25, and Norbert Pulko, 22, all from London. Their hearing was delayed for more than six hours because the court could not find a translator for them.
Also appearing was Afghan-born Jabar Paktia, 41, from Wolverhampton. The five were all charged with conspiring between July 16 and July 21 to cause grievous bodily harm with intent to the boy, who cannot be named. The men denied any wrongdoing through their solicitors.
Stephen Davis, prosecuting, said: ‘On July 21 at approximately 2.15pm a three-year-old was in a Home Bargains store with his mother and siblings. His mother heard the child crying and saw he was holding his arms and couldn’t open his eyes.
‘She called an ambulance when his skin had started to redden. Initially, she thought he had bumped into something. But an attending paramedic realised he had wounds to his arms and his face. His T-shirt had a pink substance on it.’
Eyewitnesses had told how the mother screamed ‘What have you done to my baby?’ after the attack, which was on CCTV.
The court was told the three Slovakians were hard-working family men with children. Pulko was said to be his disabled mother’s full-time registered carer. The five men are due to appear at Worcester Crown Court on August 28.