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Arthur Collins 'was involved in gangland feud before acid attack'

The former boyfriend of Ferne McCann is alleged to have been involved in a violent dispute with a crime syndicate before his acid attack.

Arthur Collins was yesterday found guilty, by a majority of 10 to two, of five counts of grievous bodily harm with intent and nine counts of actual bodily harm against 14 people following the incident in a London nightclub.

Ferne McCann’s ex-boyfriend Arthur Collins was found guilty of nightclub acid attack
Ferne McCann’s ex-boyfriend Arthur Collins was found guilty of nightclub acid attack

A month before the attack Collins is said to have been in Hoxton when a pal of his allegedly tried to steal a watch belonging to the Adams family.

Ferne’s ex – who is the father of her newborn daughter, who was born earlier this month – was then reportedly told to pay £30,000 at a following meeting for “taking a liberty”.

A source told The Sun: “Collins refused to pay. He even pulled a knife on this person and threatened them.

Victims of Arthur Collins acid attack in London nightclub speak of their horrific injuries [ITV]
Victims of Arthur Collins acid attack in London nightclub speak of their horrific injuries [ITV]

“After that he began carrying the acid around because he was worried someone would try and iron him out.”

Jurors at North London’s Wood Green crown court were not told about the alleged gang links.

Prosecutor Ciro D’Alessio told a pre-trial hearing: “This was essentially an incident between one set of gang members against another set of gang members.”

Collins admitted throwing the bottle of fluid over clubbers at the Mangle E8 nightspot in Dalston, east London, on 17 April.

Arthur Collins and Ferne McCann

But claimed he did not know it was acid, insisting he thought the liquid was a date rape drug, which he had snatched from two men after overhearing them planning to spike a girl’s drink.

Victims described a burning smell and their skin “blistering straight away” and that everyone then started “screaming, shouting, running”.

Collins’ alleged accomplice Andre Phoenix, 21, was acquitted of four counts of grievous bodily harm and two of actual bodily harm on Monday morning.


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