London: The UK government is under pressure to tighten the laws on the sale and possession of acid and other corrosive substances amid growing fears they have become the "weapon of choice" of teenagers.
Calls for changes to the law followed a five acid attacks in London in the space of a little over an hour that left one victim with "life-changing" injuries.
Another victim told how he felt his "face was burning". Two boys, aged 15 and 16, were arrested on Friday in
connection with the attacks on moped riders.
Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan Police commissioner, told LBC radio that the attacks on Thursday night were "completely barbaric".
"I don't want people to think this is happening all over London all the time. It really is not," Dick said. "But we are concerned, because the numbers appear to be going up."
It's horrifying, and far from an isolated incident. Just a few weeks ago, two Muslims in London were badly burnt when a man threw acid through their car window. In April, a 24-year-old went on an acid-attack spree at a nightclub, wounding 20, including two Australian sisters. Two people were blinded.
By some measures, Britain has the highest rate of acid attacks per capita in the world. The number of attacks has nearly tripled since 2012, up from 188 to 504. About half of those incidents were classified as "violence against the person".
Another quarter (118) were connected to robberies. So far this year, one person has died from an acid attack and 37 people were gravely injured, but Rachel Kearton, the National Police Chiefs Council lead for corrosive attacks, told the BBC, the number of acid attacks compared to knife crime is "tiny".
Unlike in other countries, men are much more likely to be victims in Britain than women.
Campaigners say crime gangs were switching to acid and ammonia because laws had been tightened on possession of knives.
Sulphuric acid at 91 per cent strength can be bought cheaply over the counter in shops and DIY stores as a drain unblocker. There is no age restriction for those buying it. Ammonia is similarly available.
Jaf Shah, of Acid Survivors Trust
International, said: "Concentrated acid is clearly becoming the weapon of choice for gangland kids.
"For the perpetrators, using acid is a 'safer' crime to commit because you are not going to be charged if you are caught in possession of it. It is very cheap and kids of any age can make a cash payment and cannot be traced."
Dr Simon Harding, a criminologist at Middlesex University and an expert on gangs, said gang members were aware that "the charges are more serious
if you are caught with a knife and the tariff for prison sentences are much higher".
Stephen Timms, a former Labour minister, called for tougher sentences, a new offence of carrying concentrated acid to be introduced and the licensing of its purchase.
Timms, who will lead a debate in the UK Parliament on Monday on the issue, said: "Carrying acid should in itself be an offence. Carrying a knife wouldn't have been an offence some years ago. I think there's been a pretty effective change – the same change should be made for acid."
Night of horror as acid attackers strike at will
The delivery rider on his moped was stopped at traffic lights on his way home. Suddenly he felt a liquid – he thought at first it was water – trickling down his face. Then followed a terrible stinging sensation.
Jabed Hussain, a father of one, was the first victim in a spate of five acid attacks committed over 72 minutes.
As the horror unfolded, Mr Hussain, a rider for the online delivery firm UberEATS, could count himself one of the luckier ones. His helmet, he is convinced, saved him from suffering devastating injury. Another victim suffered "life-changing" injuries. The extent of the injuries suffered by the others is unclear.
"I was lucky because I was wearing a helmet which is totally burnt, as was the hoodie," said Mr Hussain, 32, recounting his ordeal. "They pulled up on my left hand side on a motorbike; then suddenly I felt something wet on my face. I thought it was water. My face was burning. I was screaming for help and as the liquid on my face was drying, it was getting more and more burnt.
"I had never felt anything like it before. It was like fire on my face, extreme fire. I think most of the acid, at least half, hit my helmet and trickled down, but some of it came through to my visor, on to my face and reached my lip."
A bystander raced into a nearby Co-Op – police timed the attack at 10.25pm – and poured water on his face. Police and ambulance crews arriving on Hackney Road then poured litre upon litre of water over him, having first pulled off his T-shirt and removed his helmet.
"I'm the lucky one," said Mr Hussain, "Other people who were injured, their faces were totally burned. One man I walked past at the Royal London Hospital had the left hand side of his face all burned."
Eyewitnesses heard Hussain's "piercing screams" as he fought the pain. The attackers stole his moped before speeding off on their motorbikes.
The next incident took place less than 25 minutes later in Islington. Fifteen minutes later, the pair struck again, this time in Shoreditch High Street, a popular night time hangout. Thirteen minutes later, a 24-year-old moped rider had a corrosive substance sprayed in his face. His injuries, according to police, are "life-changing".
A 16-year-old was arrested after being tracked by CCTV; a 15-year-old was detained later in the day.
Chief inspector Ben Clark, from Hackney Borough, said: "These are hideous offences and must have been very frightening for all of the victims.
"Of late we have seen more attacks using corrosive substances in London.
"I would urge businesses and parents to challenge those who they think may be trying to obtain or carry these substances as this could help prevent serious offences and life changing injuries being caused."
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