Acid attacker should spend life in jail, says victim's father

The father of a man left with such terrible injuries after an acid attack by his former partner that he was driven to euthanasia has called for the perpetrator to spend the rest of her life in jail.

Berlinah Wallace, 49, threw sulphuric acid over Mark van Dongen, 29, in a fit of jealousy and rage after he began a relationship with another woman.

After spending more than a year in hospital in Bristol, Van Dongen’s family and friends hired a private ambulance to take him to Belgium, where he applied for euthanasia.

Van Dongen’s father, Kees, struggled to hold back tears as he read out his victim impact statement at Wallace’s sentencing hearing.

He had treated Wallace as his own daughter, he said, but now she should be locked up for life.

Giving more detail of Mark’s state in the months after the attack, Kees van Dongen said at first his son communicated by tickling his hand. Later his son could communicate by poking his tongue out. Finally his voice did return.

His son had to have his lower left leg amputated after it became infected. “Mark told me at a later stage that he was aware of the amputation and that he had felt like a loaf of bread when his leg was amputated slice by slice.”

He added: “At first Mark didn’t realise how badly injured he was. He went through the hellish pain of skin grafts and unbearable itching. He was on the maximum painkillers and anti-itching tablets.”

Of his decision to apply for euthanasia, Kees van Dongen said his son told him: “I have suffered pain, itching and enough misery and I’m tired of fighting.”

He added: “Listening to his screams after the attack on the 999 recording was horrendous. Hearing the defence case here was very difficult because it didn’t reflect the truth. I may still end up on the street as a tramp. I used up all my money to visit Mark in England and was unable to work for a considerable period of time.”

He told Bristol crown court how his “gentle” son explained why he wanted to take his own life. He told him: “Dad, I’m tired of fighting – I’ve suffered so much pain and I can’t take anymore. Please let me go.”

Wallace, a former fashion student, hurled sulphuric acid at Van Dongen, an engineer, laughing: “If I can’t have you no one can.”

Van Dongen’s face and much of his body were severely scarred. The acid burned through 25% of his body surface. He was paralysed from the neck down, lost most of his sight and his lower left leg had to be amputated.

Wallace was found guilty last week of throwing a corrosive substance with intent but was cleared of murder.

Kees van Dongen said of Wallace: “Berlinah was always treated as our own daughter ... I hope that justice will prevail and that she will be locked up for the rest of her life because she is a danger to society.

“I feel like a broken man – I am completely drained. Mark and I lost our battle and it has also had an enormous influence on our family situation.

“I used to have a very good marriage with my wife of 11 years but I am no longer myself and am living in a friend’s apartment – I’m just trying to find peace after what happened.

“I am living from one day to the next and we will see what tomorrow brings. I started to smoke again on the day of my hospital visit to England and can no longer sleep and take antidepressants.

“My son Mark was gentle, sensitive and accommodating. As a result even his friends occasionally took advantage. Nothing was ever too much for him – he always tried to resolve any problems as they arose.”

He added: “I had the impression that Mark was more in love with her ... For her it was all about money, money, money, provided she didn’t have to do anything for it herself.

“The fact that Mark, a 29-year-old man and recent graduate, decided to commit euthanasia says something about the condition he was in and the pain he was suffering … I hope that I will get over it one day.”

Wallace legally bought the sulphuric acid online for less than £10. Kees van Dongen vowed to campaign to tighten the laws on the sale of acid.

A spate of acid attacks has led the government to move to reclassify sulphuric acid. Later this year a licence will be needed to legally buy the substance over a certain concentration.

The judge, Mrs Justice Nicola Davies, had asked the prosecution and defence barristers to address her before she passed sentence.

Adam Vaitilingam QC, prosecuting, described the acid attack as “deliberate, sadistic” - with Wallace “pouring” the acid on van Dongen’s face as he slept.

Representing Wallace, Richard Smith QC said her background made the prospect of van Dongen leaving her harder to cope with. When she gave evidence during the trial, Wallace said she had been born in South Africa and had a difficult early life. She said her mother was abusive and her stepfather beat her. She married an English man who was living in South Africa and they moved to the UK.

After they split, she met van Dongen on a dating site for HIV-positive people. She alleged he had been abusive to her - which his family strongly reject.

Wallace will be sentenced on Wednesday.