Arthur Collins acid trial: ‘My skin hissed like can of coke’, woman tells court
Written by News on 13/10/2017
A woman who was injured after acid was thrown in a nightclub told a court she heard her skin melt with a "hissing sound" that sounded like a can of coke being opened.
Lauren Trent was among 16 people injured when a corrosive substance was thrown on a packed dance floor at the Wringer and Mangle nightclub in Dalston, east London, on 17 April.
Ms Trent, who was in London to celebrate her birthday, said: "It was like when you open a can of coke, there was this hissing sound like an aerosol. It touched my neck and my skin was coming off in my hands.
"I knew it was acid. Nothing blisters that quickly other than acid. I’ve been in clubs before where there was pepper spray.
"My neck blistered straight away."
Arthur Collins and his friend Andre Phoenix, 21, are both on trial at Wood Green Crown Court accused of five counts of grievous bodily harm with intent, and 11 counts of actual bodily harm.
Collins, 25, is the ex-boyfriend of TOWIE star Ferne McCann and father of her unborn child.
Giving evidence, Ms Trent described the moment she was hit by the substance at the nightclub, saying her neck "blistered straight away".
She said nightclub security guards "didn’t seem to have a clue" and only realised that "something serious had happened" when she showed one her injuries.
Ms Trent also described the club security as "appalling", with minimal checks on the door.
She told jurors paramedics took over an hour to arrive following the incident.
Prosecutor Luke Ponte told the court the incident happened quickly, with no indication something was about to take place.
Another victim, Phoebe Georgiou, who suffered chest burns which had to be treated at a specialist burns unit, cried as she described how she froze after she was hit by the acid.
Collins, of Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, denies the charges against him.
He does not dispute throwing the liquid, but says he did not know it was acid in the bottle.
Phoenix, of Clyde Road, Tottenham, north London, denies the same offences.
The unidentified corrosive substance had a pH level of 1, a similar level of acidity to stomach acid.
The trial continues.
(c) Sky News 2017: Arthur Collins acid trial: ‘My skin hissed like can of coke’, woman tells court
