Two appear at court by video

THE ex-boyfriend of pregnant Towie star Ferne McCann denied carrying out an acid attack in a nightclub.

Arthur Collins, 25, went on the run but was arrested six days later.

He is said to have been involved in the attack at the Mangle E8 club in Dalston, east London.

A 22-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man were left blind in one eye and 22 people were injured in the incident.

Collins, of Broxbourne, Herts, and fellow defendant Andre Phoenix, 21, of Tottenham, north London, appeared at Wood Green Crown Court via video link from Thameside prison.

They both pleaded not guilty to five counts of causing GBH with intent, and 11 counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Collins, who sported a beard, wore a white T-shirt and Adidas ® tracksuit bottoms. He and Phoenix sat next to each other behind a desk during yesterday’s hearing, staring ahead.

Proceedings were briefly paused at 11am as the court observed a minute’s silence for the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.

An additional count of causing GBH with intent was not put to the defendants. It remains on the charge sheet, although they have not entered pleas to it.

A trial, expected to last two weeks, has been set for October 9.

Judge Noel Lucas set a further case management hearing for September 22.

The two defendants were remanded in custody as family members in the public gallery looked on.