Mum Of Worcester Acid Attack Victim Tells Court How "Controlling" Husband Told Her He Could "Kill Someone"

24 January 2019, 15:15 | Updated: 24 January 2019, 15:20

The mother of a little boy injured in an acid attack, allegedly plotted by his father, has told a jury her "controlling" husband once told of how he could "kill someone" when angry.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said of her estranged husband: "Whenever he became angry, he couldn't control himself."

The youngster, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, suffered serious burns to his face and arm at the Home Bargains store in Worcester on July 21 last year, during a parental custody dispute triggered by his father.

Jurors in the trial of the father and six others, accused of plotting the attack, had already heard how the child screamed "I hurt, I hurt, I hurt", after acid was thrown at him.

Worcester Crown Court was also shown CCTV footage of the moment the attack happened, leaving the boy running to his mother.

Giving evidence on Thursday, the mother claimed her estranged husband had previously threatened to kill her and the children if she ever left him again, after she walked out on him in 2012.

She eventually left him permanently in 2016, taking their three children to a women's refuge.

The mother also claimed to be "scared" of her husband and "under his control", while speaking to the court over a video-link.

Asked by Jonathan Rees QC, prosecuting, if she ever worried when her spouse was alone with their children, she said: "Yes, but his character was like that.

"Whenever he became angry I was worried and trying to keep quiet and calm and make him calm.

"Because he told me himself whenever he becomes angry he can do anything, even kill someone."

Asked why she had never told the police, a solicitor or her family of any problems in her relationship, she replied: "Because if I told my brother or one of my family, they will be worried about me, and upset about me.

"They may have contact with him and he never respect my family.

"He never accepted anything from other people, so he will be violent with them and dispute with them as well, and my situation will get worse."

The 40-year-old man, originally from Afghanistan, but now living in the West Midlands, is charged with conspiring to unlawfully or maliciously cast or throw sulphuric acid on or at the boy between June 1 and July 22, with intent to burn, maim, disfigure or disable the minor, or do some grievous bodily harm to him.

The Crown alleged the father, stung by his wife walking out on him with the children in April 2016, "enlisted others" to attack the youngster, in a bid to win more contact with the child.

Opening the case, the Crown's QC Mr Rees, said: "We say the evidence suggests that in an effort to ensure his application was successful, he was willing to manufacture evidence of injuries to his children in an attempt to show that his wife was unable properly to care for them, in other words she was an unfit mother."

Also facing the same charge are: Adam Cech, 27, of Farnham Road, and Jan Dudi, 25, of Cranbrook Road, both Birmingham; Norbert Pulko, 22, of Sutherland Road, London; Martina Badiova, 22, of Newcombe Road, Handsworth, Birmingham; Saied Hussini, 42, of Wrottesley Road, London; and Jabar Paktia, 42, of Newhampton Road, Wolverhampton.

They all deny the allegation.