A 39-year-old Afghan national was charged and remanded in custody for conspiracy to commit Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) after his three-year-old son was attacked with sulphuric acid in a homewares discount store last week.
The Wolverhampton resident, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and four other men –Adam Cech, 27, Jan Dudi, 25, and Norbert Pulko, 22, who are from Slovakia and live in Walthamstow, London, and Afghan-national Jabar Paktia, 41, who also lives in Wolverhampton — appeared before Kidderminster Crown Court on Wednesday.
There were initially delays to proceedings as the court was waiting for Afghan and Slovak interpreters, and during the hearing, the men spoke only to confirm their names, ages, and addresses, reports The Times.
All of the men were remanded in custody and denied any wrongdoing through their solicitors.
The three-year-old boy suffered serious burns to his face and arm at a Home Bargains store in Worcester on Saturday afternoon whilst he was being pushed in a pram by his mother.
Prosecutor Stephen Davis said: “His mother heard the child crying and saw he was holding his arms and couldn’t open his eyes.
“She had called an ambulance when the child’s face turned red. His T-shirt had a pink substance on it.”
It was revealed that the “pink substance” thrown or sprayed at the child was sulphuric acid — a highly corrosive substance which would leave a victim feeling extreme heat on the skin before agonising pain, and which can cause serious injuries.
The toddler was released from hospital on Sunday and the extent of the damage caused is not yet known. He and his Afghan mother and siblings have been moved to a safe house and are under police protection.
The case has been adjourned until August 28th, where the defendants will appear before Worcester Crown Court.
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