Father plotted acid attack on son, three, to discredit estranged wife, court told

A husband plotted a “cowardly” acid attack on his three-year-old son in an attempt to manufacture evidence that his estranged wife was a bad mother, a court has heard.

The 40-year-old taxi driver, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is accused of conspiring with six others to carry out the attack on his own child.

The youngster suffered serious burns to his face and arm after sulphuric acid was sprayed at him as he shopped for a birthday present in a Home Bargains store in Worcester.

The court was told the father organised the attack due to an ongoing family court battle with his ex-wife after he demanded his children live with him.

He deliberately planned to injure his son to help him build a case that she was an unfit mother, jurors heard.

The father, from Wolverhampton, is on trial along with five men and a woman at Worcester crown court. They are accused of conspiring to unlawfully or maliciously cast or throw sulphuric acid with intent to burn, maim, disfigure, or disable or cause grievous bodily harm.

The father appeared in the dock alongside Adam Cech, 27, Jan Dudi, 25, and Martina Badiova, 22, of Handsworth in Birmingham, as well as Norbert Pulko, 22, of Tottenham in north London, Saied Hussini, 41, of Harlesden, west London, and Jabar Paktia, 41, from Wolverhampton. They all deny the charge.

Jonathan Rees QC, prosecuting, said the father was the “driving force” behind the attack, which took place at 2pm on 21 July last year at Shrub Hill retail park in Worcester.

He told the court the defendant had taken the separation from his wife badly and plotted the assault in anger after he felt humiliated in front of his Muslim family.

Rees told a jury of nine women and five men: “This case concerns a cowardly attack on a defenceless three-year-old boy in which he was squirted with a solution of sulphuric acid.

“At the time of the attack, the little boy was with his mother and his older brother and sister. The family had been shopping for a birthday present.

“As a result of the attack, the little boy suffered acid burns to his left forearm and his forehead which were treated in hospital. Thankfully, due to the quick actions of a member of staff, the seriousness of the injuries was limited.”

The court was also told how the group had planned to target the boy outside his primary school a week before the incident but backed out at the last minute, and also ran a series of reconnaissance missions before carrying out the acid attack.

The trial continues.