Ferne McCann’s ex-boyfriend has been found guilty of carrying out an acid attack in London earlier this year.
Arthur Collins, 25, was convicted of five counts of grievous bodily harm with intent and nine counts of actual bodily harm at Wood Green Crown Court today (13.11.17) after 14 people were badly burnt when he sprayed the corrosive substance at a crowd on the dance floor in the nightclub Mangle E8 in Dalston on April 17.
The 25 year old admitted to throwing a bottle of liquid over the clubbers at around 1am in the busy nightclub, but he claimed he didn’t know it was acid and thought it was a date rape drug because he’d snatched the container from two men after overhearing them allegedly talking about spiking a girl’s drink.
Arthur had been out celebrating with his friend Andre Phoenix after announcing to his family just hours before at a barbecue that he and Ferne – who got together earlier this year – were expecting a baby.
After the serious attack, in which Arthur walked away from claiming he had "no idea of an incident unfolding" despite people screaming, police tracked him down at a house in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire.
As they entered the property, he jumped out of the bathroom window – fracturing both of his feet – before lunging over garden fences to get away. He was eventually tasered by officers and taken to the station.
During the trial, Arthur was pressed on a bottle of liquid he had in his car because he’d previously told his sister it was "acid" but he told the jury that it was amino acid shampoo to combat his baldness.
Arthur’s friend Andre was also charged with four counts of GBH and two counts of ABH, which he denied, after he was seen holding his pal back as he threw the acid.
But the jury declared him not guilty after he told them that he had only stepped in to separate Arthur and another male when they started squaring up to one another.
He went on to say he doesn’t "roll with acid" and would just "knock them out" if someone angered him.
Andre – who suffered a burn to the face from the acid during the scuffle – wept as he was cleared.
Meanwhile, Ferne split with Arthur as soon as he was arrested and she gave birth to their daughter Sunday earlier this month.
Ferne McCann’s ex-boyfriend found guilty of acid attack
