Acid attackers to face up to four years’ jail
THUGS caught carrying acid with the intent of attacking someone should be jailed for up to four years, prosecutors will be told, amid a worrying rise in the number of attacks.
Official sentencing guidance will be reviewed and reissued amid fears that acid attackers are getting off lightly because the laws are being misapplied.
The number of substances that shopkeepers are legally bound to inform the police about if they are bought by suspicious people may also be extended.
The announcements form part of a new drive by the Government to clamp down on “sickening” acid attacks after a spate of incidents in London this week.
Police were last night investigating a possible acid attack on a moped rider in east London which came less than 24 hours after five similar incidents in quick succession.
Ministers have grown alarmed at the apparent spike in acid attacks, which some have claimed are a result of tougher laws on knife crime.
Some 408 acid or “corrosive substance” attacks were recorded between November 2016 and April 2017, according to the National Police Chiefs’ Council. Bleach, ammonia and acid were the most commonly used substances, while one in five of known offenders was under 18 years old. Ministers will
on Monday announce a four-pronged approach to the problem. The Crown Prosecution Service will review guidance for prosecutors about how to handle acid cases.
There are fears that the current rules – that allow someone carrying acid with intent to attack to be jailed for up to four years because it is deemed a dangerous weapon – are not being adhered to.
Secondly, a review of the Poisons Act 1972 will take place. This lists substances that shopkeepers are obliged to report to police if a customer is deemed suspicious. Police will also be issued with new guidance on preventing acid attacks, while government ministers will talk to retailers about further restricting the sale of acids.
Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, said: “It is vital that we do everything we can to prevent these sickening attacks happening in the first place.
“We must also ensure that the police and other emergency services are able to respond as effectively as possible, that sentences reflect the seriousness of the offences, and victims are given the immediate support they need.”
Rashem Khan, who was left with life-changing injuries last month when she and her cousin Jameel Muhktar were attacked on her 21st birthday, said that acid could be bought “too easily from any hardware store”, adding that it was “about time that the law changes”.
A 16-year-old boy was charged last night with 15 offences, including robbery, GBH with intent and possession of an item to discharge a noxious substance, after five acid attacks took place in London on Thursday night.