This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/london-acid-attack-mary-konye-guilty-of-attack-on-naomi-oni-9080845.html
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| London acid attack: Mary Konye guilty of attack on Naomi Oni | London acid attack: Mary Konye guilty of attack on Naomi Oni |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A young woman from London has been warned she faces prison after being found guilty of throwing acid in a friend's face because she once called her ugly. | A young woman from London has been warned she faces prison after being found guilty of throwing acid in a friend's face because she once called her ugly. |
| Mary Konye, 21, attacked Naomi On in December 2012 while disguised in a Muslim veil. | |
| Ms Oni, who was 20 at the time of the attack, was on her way home from work at Victoria's Secret lingerie shop in Westfield Stratford, east London, when Konye, wearing a niqab, threw the corrosive liquid at her. | Ms Oni, who was 20 at the time of the attack, was on her way home from work at Victoria's Secret lingerie shop in Westfield Stratford, east London, when Konye, wearing a niqab, threw the corrosive liquid at her. |
| She was left with serious burns on her head, neck, arms, legs and body. She was scarred for life, and required skin graft surgery to cover the burns. | |
| She was five minutes from her home in Dagenham. | |
| The jury at London's Snaresbrook Crown Court heard that, following the attack, Konye pretended to give Ms Oni a shoulder to cry on. | The jury at London's Snaresbrook Crown Court heard that, following the attack, Konye pretended to give Ms Oni a shoulder to cry on. |
| The court heard that the day after the attack, Konye sent a mobile phone message to her friend, who was in hospital receiving treatment, saying “OMG, I can't believe it.” | |
| The victim burst into tears as she left the courtroom and was hugged by family and friends. | The victim burst into tears as she left the courtroom and was hugged by family and friends. |
| Her said as they left court that they were “glad that a truthful verdict had been reached”. | |
| Dressed in black, Konye remained calm as the jury of eight men and four women returned unanimous their verdict. | |
| She will be sentenced on 7 March, and Judge David Radford said: "I should make clear that, in my judgment, this is a case that will, in all likelihood, need a substantial custodial sentence. | She will be sentenced on 7 March, and Judge David Radford said: "I should make clear that, in my judgment, this is a case that will, in all likelihood, need a substantial custodial sentence. |
| "It is inevitable, but it won't be dealt with until I have received those (pre-sentence) reports." | "It is inevitable, but it won't be dealt with until I have received those (pre-sentence) reports." |
| Speaking outside court afterwards, Detective Chief Inspector Dave Whellams said it had been a “serious, horrible offence which required a degree of planning and calculation”. | |
| He told reporters that witnesses had testified in the court that the attack had been planned over the course of two years. | |
| He said: "Mary Konye has had to purchase, at some point, some sulphuric acid. | |
| “She has prepared for this over a number of months, even years, all resulting from a trivial, insignificant argument that everybody has in their everyday lives." | |
| He commended Ms Oni as "a very brave woman and one I have great sympathy for." | |
| Baljit Ubhey, Chief Crown Prosecutor in London, who described the attack as "extremely brutal," said: "Konye has now been brought to justice and must face the full consequences of her appalling actions. | |
| “I would to like praise Naomi's courage and dignity in giving evidence during this trial." |