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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Acid attack: Accused 'read 82 articles on acid attacks' | Acid attack: Accused 'read 82 articles on acid attacks' |
| (4 days later) | |
| A woman accused of throwing acid over her former partner said it was a coincidence that she looked at articles about acid attacks days before, Bristol Crown Court has heard. | A woman accused of throwing acid over her former partner said it was a coincidence that she looked at articles about acid attacks days before, Bristol Crown Court has heard. |
| Berlinah Wallace, 48, denies murder and applying a corrosive fluid to Mark van Dongen, 29, in Bristol in 2015. | Berlinah Wallace, 48, denies murder and applying a corrosive fluid to Mark van Dongen, 29, in Bristol in 2015. |
| He was granted euthanasia and died in a Belgian hospital 15 months later. | He was granted euthanasia and died in a Belgian hospital 15 months later. |
| Ms Wallace said she clicked on images of acid attacks "out of curiosity" but had not read the stories. | Ms Wallace said she clicked on images of acid attacks "out of curiosity" but had not read the stories. |
| Under cross-examination from prosecutor Adam Vaitilingam QC, Ms Wallace said she bought a bottle of sulphuric acid online, in order to clear smelly drains in her flat. | Under cross-examination from prosecutor Adam Vaitilingam QC, Ms Wallace said she bought a bottle of sulphuric acid online, in order to clear smelly drains in her flat. |
| Mr Vaitilingam told the court Ms Wallace had clicked on 82 online articles about acid attacks, days before the alleged attack on 23 September 2015. | Mr Vaitilingam told the court Ms Wallace had clicked on 82 online articles about acid attacks, days before the alleged attack on 23 September 2015. |
| She said she did not read the articles, but "just looked at pictures". | She said she did not read the articles, but "just looked at pictures". |
| Mr Vaitilingam asked why she was "so fascinated" by stories about acid attacks and people drinking acid. | Mr Vaitilingam asked why she was "so fascinated" by stories about acid attacks and people drinking acid. |
| "I just saw pictures, just to look," she replied. | "I just saw pictures, just to look," she replied. |
| "What was so fascinating about those pictures?" | "What was so fascinating about those pictures?" |
| "Just curiosity," she said. | "Just curiosity," she said. |
| "Your account to the jury is it's just a coincidence that within a matter of days you were to throw sulphuric acid into Mark's face?" Mr Vaitilingam asked. | "Your account to the jury is it's just a coincidence that within a matter of days you were to throw sulphuric acid into Mark's face?" Mr Vaitilingam asked. |
| "Just coincidence and bad luck," the defendant replied. | "Just coincidence and bad luck," the defendant replied. |
| Previously Ms Wallace told the court she believed she was throwing water at her former partner during an argument, and did not realise it was acid in the glass. | Previously Ms Wallace told the court she believed she was throwing water at her former partner during an argument, and did not realise it was acid in the glass. |
| She said it was just a "coincidence" that she bought acid on the day her former partner told her to leave him alone. | She said it was just a "coincidence" that she bought acid on the day her former partner told her to leave him alone. |
| Mr van Dongen was left paralysed from the neck down and lost his left leg, ear and eye following the alleged attack, and ended his own life in a Belgian hospital in January 2017. | |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |