Police investigating inot leads after a three-year-old had acid hurled in his face while sat in his pram have said the horrific attack was linked to “community dispute”.
The child’s distraught mum screamed “what have they done to my baby?” after the monsters threw the substance at Home Bargains in Worcester leaving him hospitalised.
Police have arrested three men aged 22, 25, and 26 in London – 130 miles away from the attack – and were today seen searching a home in Walthamstow, East London. A fourth man, aged 39, from Wolverhampton, was arrested following the attack on Saturday afternoon and remains in custody. All four are being held on suspicion of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm.
Chief Superintendent Mark Travis hinted the attack’s motive may have been a result of a “dispute in communities”.
West Mercia Police spoke about the latest updates of the Worcester acid attack:
This has been a shocking incident which we know has caused a great deal of concern in our community.
Our thoughts are with the little boy and his family at this time and we are absolutely committed to getting to the bottom of this incident.
I would like to pay tribute to my officers, some of whom have worked for 24 hours without rest on this investigation and have done a thorough and painstaking job.
The operation has been a great example of partnership work across this police force but also with other forces across the country.
There is still work to do and we are keeping an open mind as to the circumstances of the incident. We are still appealing for anyone with information to come forward and help us with our enquiries.”
Nearby pub landlord Donna Bird said: “It’s sickening to think that someone would do this, let alone to a three-year-old defenceless child. Nowhere is safe anymore.
To think that this happened when you’re going shopping or just going out about your normal day. I hope he makes a full recovery, must be heartbreaking for his parents.”
Eyewitness Rachel Bryant said: “I’d been shopping with my mum and were heading to Home Bargains when there were loads of police and ambulances. I saw a woman crying and being comforted by police. I didn’t know what it was all about.
When I heard about the little boy being attacked with acid I couldn’t believe it. It’s horrendous to think something like this could happen to a little boy in the middle of a shop on a Saturday afternoon.”
Worcester MP Robin Walker said: “The shock will be universal. Anyone conducting such an attack on a small child is just appalling.
It’s an issue which rightly there has been a lot of concern in Parliament and a move to toughen sentences for any kind of acid attack. But particularly the nature of this being a small child is very concerning indeed.
At this stage the key thing is for the police to act quickly and see if they can track down the perpetrator and understand what’s behind it, because it is an unthinkable thing to happen.”
Anyone with information should call 999 quoting incident 442s of 21 July 2018. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111.
