The use of noxious substances in personal attacks can often include the use of ammonia and alkali liquids but in this case, it involved the use of concentrated acid.
Sulphuric acid shows different properties depending upon its concentration; its corrosiveness on, say, living tissue, can be mainly ascribed to its strong acidic nature and if concentrated, strong dehydrating and oxidising properties.
The case:
It was alleged that Ms Leong and Mr Cummings had an agreement to murder Mr Rotariu and that they had purchased sulphuric acid with the intention of using it in an attack. Ms Leong and Mr Cummings blamed each other for the attack.
Following the attack, Mr Rotariu was put into an induced coma and underwent a number of emergency operations.
He had 32% surface area burns estimated at 35-40% full thickness to his face, lips, tongue, ears, both arms, chest and other parts of his body. Mr Rotariu now suffers with irreversible blindness and is dealing with life-changing injuries. It was a mircacle he survived.
Mr Baker’s investigation included the review of seizure, continuity and submission of items, laboratory notes made during the scientist’s examination, analytical or tests acquired and the interpretation and conclusion.
Mr Baker concluded that none of the clothing and footwear recovered from Mark Cummings showed evidence of acid exposure.
Other clothing and footwear associated with Katie Leong showed evidence of acid exposure however it was impossible to comment on the nature or time of that exposure.
To read more about the case –> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-39338248
