Father and conspirators jailed for acid attack on boy, three

The father of the boy and five of his co-defendants were today unanimously convicted of conspiracy to apply a corrosive fluid with intent following a six week trial at Worcester Crown Court.

The boy's mother said he would be 'scarred for life' after he was squirted with sulphuric acid in Home Bargains in Worcester at 2.16pm on July 21 last year, screaming 'I hurt, I hurt!' in the wake of the attack.

The plot was driven by the boy's father who was locked in a bitter custody battle with his estranged wife.

He had already arranged to have photographs doctored to make it look like his children had been injured in her care.

His wife, who gave evidence via videolink, described how her husband had previously talked of having her and their children killed and even taking them abroad for that purpose, asking an imam whether this was permitted.

The 40-year-old Afghan, who cannot be identified as it would identify the three-year-old victim, was jailed for 16 years and middle man Saied Hussini, 43, was jailed for 14 years. Hussini enlisted the support of the Slovaks for the plot and was present at a failed mission or 'dry run' for the acid attack at a Worcester school eight says before the attack.

The second Afghan middle man, Jabar Paktia, 42, of New Hampton Road, Wolverhampton was jailed for 12 years.

The three Slovaks who entered Home Bargains were each jailed for 12 years.

They were: Adam Cech 27, of Farnham Road, Birmingham, who squirted the acid, Norbert Pulko, 22, of Sutherland Road, London and Jan Dudi, 26, of Cranbrook Road, Birmingham who recorded the attack on his mobile phone as proof to the father that 'the mission' had been successful.

Martina Badiova was cleared of any involvement in the conspiracy leading to loud cheers from the public gallery and calls of 'yes!'

The 23-year-old put her head in her hands and sobbed as the not guilty verdict was delivered by the jury.

After the attack took place the father sent a message to one of his co-defendants, Paktia, saying 'nailed it!'

Moments before the attack the boy had been looking at footballs and skipping, something judge Robert Juckes QC said would 'bring out fiercely protective instincts in the hearts of normal men and women'. Instead he was squirted with acid, screaming 'I hurt' as he suffered burns to his left forearm and forehead.

The boy's father held his head in his right hand when the guilty verdict was delivered and showed little emotion when led away to begin his sentence.

Adam Cech, the man who squirted the acid, could be seen laughing and smirking during the trial.

However, when the guilty verdict was delivered he lowered his head, still bearing the distinctive Mohawk haircut he had when he carried out the acid attack. At one stage he looked close to tears.

The dock was full of nine security officers to keep order because many of the defendants had run what the judge called 'cut-throat' defences, including Cech who claimed he had been threatened with what he he said he believed was a real gun and therefore forced to carry out the attack.

Judge Robert Juckes QC said: "Even battle hardened Crown Court judges were sickened when they heard the news that someone had attacked a three-year-old boy with sulphuric acid.

"As the news became clearer it seemed only to darken. This was not a momentary loss of temper or irrational anger fuelled revenge.

"It was a planned attack by three adult males on a small boy who was out shopping with his family in a local supermarket on a well-known trading estate in the middle of the day.

"It became increasingly apparent how well-planned this was with links going back to the man who plainly at the heart of this attack who was the boy's own father.

"Everyone asked what on earth would lead a father to attack have acid sprayed upon his own son; what kind of people would carry out such an attack?

"I started this trial in the hope that I might gain some insight and some answer to this question, but I have not."

Judge Juckes told the father he had felt 'humiliated' by his wife leaving him in 2012. When she returned she was driven out by him again in 2016 and forced to go into hiding.

The judge said the father's motive was partly that his wife would be blamed for the injury his son sustained but also that he had also been motivated by 'hatred' of her because of the humiliation he felt.

Will Martin, junior counsel to Jonathan Rees QC who prosecuted the case, read out a victim impact statement in which the mother of the child said her estranged husband watched disturbing videos of honour killings on YouTube, including a daughter being beheaded by her own father. When his wife said to him 'how can a father kill his daughter?' the father said: "That is our culture. That is honour killing."

Judge Juckes said some of the conspirators even 'spent the night in celebration' after the attack proved successful.

"It was as though none of you began to appreciate the monstrous thing you had done" he told them.

Pulko, Cech and Dudi were arrested at Pulko's London address at 3am on July 23 last year and it was only the swift actions of the police that prevented them fleeing the country.

Pulko was described by the judge as Hussini's 'protege' and Hussini referred to Pulko as his 'son', bringing him into the conspiracy.

Hussini was described in the trial as 'slippery' and a 'conman' who had previously been involved with Pulko in a cash for crash scam.

The officer in the case, DS Natalie Martin, read out a statement from the mother who said: "On the awful day that my youngest child was attacked with acid I had no idea I was being followed.

"He came running over to me screaming and grabbing his arm, I could see there was an injury but didn't know how it had been caused. I became hysterical.

"I noticed that red marks then started to develop like a snake up his arm and then reddening to his forehead.

"I called 999 and shop staff helped me, I am so grateful to the actions of these people, as I was later informed that their actions had prevented longer term injury to my son.

"Honestly, it never crossed my mind that it would be acid, when the police told me I was absolutely devastated, I couldn't sleep for weeks and I have repeat nightmares about what happened that day.

"It shocks me to think that people could be involved with doing this to a defenceless child and I'm glad that they have been brought to justice and will be punished for what they have done. I hope nobody ever has to go through what we have experienced.

"It has been extremely hard to accept that my three-year-old child has been attacked in such a way and that his father was behind this. How could he pay for someone to attack our child with acid? How will I explain this to my son? I don't think I will ever forgive any of those involved for what they have put my family through."

She added: "I am happy to say my son is okay, he is a happy child, but he will be scarred for life and will need continual support as a result of this incident. Following today's verdicts, myself and my family now want to move forward with our lives."

West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion said: “To do it to a young, innocent child is unthinkable. I am sure we are all pleased those offenders have now been brought to justice for this horrific attack."