Judge’s derision as TV star’s ex-lover jailed for acid attack
A JUDGE has slammed the ex-boyfriend of Ferne Mccann, the TOWIE star, as he jailed him for 20 years for a nightclub acid attack.
Arthur Collins, 25, left 14 revellers with burns when he hurled the substance over a crowd at the Mangle E8 in Dalston, east London, on April 17.
Judge Noel Lucas described it as “a deliberate and calculated attack” and laughed off Collins’ defence claims that he had little money – pointing to the fact he had two Harley Street hair transplants.
He said: “I am a bit surprised by that. I suspect it wasn’t paid for on the NHS, and I dare say it wasn’t cheap.” He then added: “Here I am told Mr Collins has no brass farthings to rub together, in effect, not withstanding his lease on a Mercedes jeep and two expensive hair transplants. If I sound as if I am sceptical of the information I have been given, it is because I am. I don’t believe a word, frankly.”
Collins, of Broxbourne, Herts, was convicted at Wood Green Crown Court after a trial of five counts of grievous bodily harm with intent and nine counts of actual bodily harm in November.
At his trial, Collins – who is the father of Ms Mccann’s baby – admitted throwing the bottle of fluid over clubbers but said he did not know it was acid. He said he thought the liquid was a date rape drug, which he had snatched from two men after overhearing them planning to spike a girl’s drink.
At the time 22 people reported injuries to the police when the acid was thrown over the dance floor, which was packed with bank holiday revellers.
A total of 16 people suffered chemical burn injuries and three people were temporarily blinded – one of whom still suffers from blurred vision in one eye. However, only 14 people were the subject of charges.
Collins said he had been out celebrating the news of Ms Mccann’s pregnancy, which they had announced to her family the previous day.
At about 1am people were seen clutching their faces and running off the dance floor after Collins doused them with a liquid. The substance was later found to have contained a liquid with a rating of ph1, indicating a strong acid. Victims described a burning smell and their skin “blistering straight away” before everyone started “screaming, shouting, running”.
Judge Lucas said: “This was a despicable act. You knew precisely what strong acid would do to human skin. Having thrown the acid over the club you slunk away and hid in the rear and pretended to be nothing to do with the mayhem you had caused. In my judgment it was deliberate and calculated and you were intent on causing really serious harm to your victims.”
Collins was told he must serve twothirds of the custodial part of his sentence in custody with an extra five years on licence