Woman Jailed For Isle Of Wight Acid Attack

24 September 2014, 17:27 | Updated: 24 September 2014, 17:35

A woman's been jailed for throwing acid in another woman's face on the Isle of Wight.

Sau Lin-Hin, 48, from Ryde was today sentenced to  nine years 'imprisonment  at Portsmouth Crown Court for causing grievous bodily harm on a 22-year-old after throwing caustic soda.
 
Dale Sheehan, Senior Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service in Wessex said:

"Sau Lin-Hin,48, from Ryde, deliberately took some caustic soda and threw it on the face of  Zhijian Zhang also known as Jackie, a 22- year-old waitress who was working in Sau Lin-Hin's husband restaurant in Sandown (Isle of Wight).

"The court heard how Sau Lin-Hin had mixed the caustic soda with water and how she had clearly intended to throw it on the young woman's face as  she was jealous of her and wanted to make her less attractive.

"A five per cent concentration of caustic soda causes serious injuries, the concentration that Sau Lin-Hin used was one of 33%. This means that the level of concentration was viscous,  sticking  to  the skin or any surface in which it came into contact.

"It was extremely corrosive.

"Sau Lin-Hin inflicted extensive injuries to  Zhijian Zhang to the right arm, shoulder, right chest, right side of the face. Zhijian Zhang was very lucky not to lose her sight.

"Sau Lin-Hin in her interview said that she did not want to cause serious harm, this is a defence that we did not accept.

"It was clear that she had intended to cause serious harm as she had prepared the mixture, which was highly concentrated causing immediate injuries to Zhijian Zhang.

"Not only Zhijian Zhang is left with the trauma of the attack, but Sau Lin-Hin had scarred her for life. Zhijian Zhang in her victim personal statement described the devastating effects on her life and her future. 

"She said that she had been disfigured even on parts of her body not directly affected by burns because surgeons used other parts of her body for skin grafts. She is devastated as she cannot be exposed to sunshine without wearing lots of sunscreen, has to wear lots of bandages and cannot have a wash without the help of her sister.

"She has lost her job, is currently dependant of her family and is very worried that she might not be able to work again or find love because of her scars.

"By pleading guilty, Sau Lin-Hin has spared Zhijian Zhang to relive the terrible moments of the attacks at a trial.

"We hope that with this sentence Zhijian Zhang, will be able to move on with her life, our thoughts at this instants are with her."