MIRROR
Laws around possession of chemicals must be tighter as it is “too easy” to carry out attacks like the one which left a mum and little girl with “life-changing injuries” this week, a crime expert has argued.
Further ordeals will happen again and again unless punishments are stronger and it is more difficult to access acids and other chemicals, Dr Liam Brolan, a senior lecturer in Criminology, told the Mirror. His stark warning comes after a 31-year-old mum and her two daughters, the youngest of whom is three, were attacked with a corrosive substance in Clapham, south London on Wednesday evening. The mum and the three-year-old have sustained potentially “life-changing injuries,” police said.
Speaking to the Mirror, Dr Brolan, who lectures at Birmingham City University, said: “It is concerning. It is too easy… First and foremost, you need to look at the availability of these substances. There was some research not long ago that said in the majority of these attacks, household bleach was being used. I think the accessibility of this particular weapon, if you like, is easy, you can get it online and this may be linked to some of the increased incidences.
“It might actually be harder for the police to detect people in possession of acid or other corrosive substances, compared to, for example, a knife. Those substances can almost be hidden in plain sight really. They can be concealed in containers and remain there, unless they are tested to see they actually are what they say they are on the label. It might be slightly easier for people to conceal them on their person. I think ease of access can be a problem.”
Katie Piper, 40, suffered major damage to her face and blindness in one eye after she was attacked with acid by her ex-boyfriend and an accomplice in March 2008. Katie needed 400 operations after the attack left her with horrific burns. In this instances, sulphuric acid was used – and this can be picked up anywhere, including the internet, with little challenge.
Dr Brolan continued: “What can be done, potentially, is tighter regulations. I think there is something to say for law enforcement approaches to it. I think it’s also about educating people about the subject of violence and also the implication of these incidences.” The lecturer suggested tougher laws for those found carrying specific substances – without reason or, in some cases, a licence – would help deter chemical horrors.
Ezedi is believed to have used an alkaline in Wednesday. Met Police Superintendent Gabriel Cameron described the man as having “significant injuries to the right side of his face”. He was last seen at a supermarket in north London on Thursday evening, but the motivation for the attack remains unclear.
Dr Brolan said: “I think there are certainly those cases where the patient’s motivation for using these sorts of substances may well be based on jealousy or humiliation or those sorts of things… When it comes to violent crime, it’s about educating people of the consequences. It’s not as prominent in the public consciousness, as issues such as gun crime and knife crime. Yet, there’s a number of high profile incidents.
