There has been a substantial rise in acid attacks, which has increased the number of premeditated attacks recorded, especially in the London area. It begs the question; do the victims know their attackers? It’s fair to say no one carries around acid as an accessory; it is carried for no other reason than to cause lasting physical and emotional harm to the victim.
60% of acid attacks occur in gang-affected areas. There has been a move away from knives, since they are more detectable. Gang members see acid as an alternative weapon. It is easily accessible, cheap to acquire, can be disguised in a bottle and thrown in a flash. Knives are more restricted in sale and can aid convictions when finger prints are found on the knife. Acid is un-detectable, there’s no DNA left as evidence, which is arguably one of the reasons why many attackers are not caught.
Statistics suggest that attackers may know or have some connection to their victims, whether directly or indirectly, through rivalry gangs. Gang members tend to target relatives or friends of rival gangs, in order to indirectly cause them harm. Gangs use acid as a weapon to degrade and humiliate victims, to gain respect and feel powerful.
Those who harm purposely should be brought before courts; evidence in acid attack cases needs to be tested robustly. It is in these cases that innocent defendants may be implicated especially when no DNA is present; it leads to an open system where anyone could be wrongly convicted. It is important that those facing charges are represented in order to highlight the main issues present when identifying acid attackers; the continuation of evidence found and how quickly the crime scene was preserved after the attack.
Emergency services advise that victims must be washed with water in order to halt the corrosive effects of the acid. Though unquestionable, this treatment removes vital evidence, which could lead to the conviction of the wrong person. All in all, the issue of identity is an important factor in these sorts of attacks and when examined properly will be left for the jury to decide.
Author Selina Nahar is a caseworker in the Crime department at Duncan Lewis. She specialises in criminal defence cases from serious assault, to extradition matters and cases involving serious fraud allegations. She deals in both legal aid cases and those privately funded. She has been a legal representative for clients remanded in custody and those on bail.
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