Dad of acid attack victim, 3, ‘sent “Nailed it” text after son sprayed in the face at Home Bargains store’
The father of a three-year-old boy who was sprayed in the face with sulphuric acid sent a GIF to another defendant hours after the attack that read ‘Nailed It’, a court has heard.
The 40-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, allegedly sent the image to co-defendant Jabar Pakita, 41, after his son was injured on July 21 last year.
The youngster was rushed to hospital after he was targeted at a Home Bargains store in Worcester.
He screamed out in agony after being covered in the substance by Adam Cech, 27, as he shopped for a birthday present with his mum, jurors were told.
A court heard the ‘cowardly’ attack was organised by the boy’s father as part of a bitter custody battle with his ex-wife.
Jurors at Worcester Crown Court were told how he had sent a ‘sticker’ image to a pal showing a blonde woman wearing an apron with the caption ‘Nailed It’ following the incident.
The Afghan dad, from Wolverhampton, is on trial with alongside five men and a woman charged with conspiring to unlawfully or maliciously cast or throw sulphuric acid with intent to burn, maim, disfigure, or disable or cause grievous bodily harm.
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Slovakians Cech, Jan Dudi, 25 and Martina Badiova, 22, all of Handsworth along with Norbert Pulko, 22, of Tottenham, North London, Saied Hussini, 41, of Harlsden, West London, and Paktia, of Wolverhampton, deny the charges.
Prosecutor Jonathan Rees QC showed jurors a map of Cech, Dudi and Pulko’s movements on the day of the attack.
He also described messages sent by Pulko to another person, in which he admits ‘I done it all’ and added ‘I’m stupid, I know I’m going for a minimum of 15 years.’
Mr Rees said: ‘The father had sent Paktia an image of a deer comforting a fox with its head in its hands and a follow up message of a woman with the caption ‘nailed it’ at 9.15pm.’
‘Over a period of time, Cech, Dudi and Pulko’s movements show them travelling from Birmingham in the morning.
‘Other images recovered from Paktia’s phone revealed meetings and the three defendants entering Home Bargains.
‘The route taken by the mother and the trio were all captured by CCTV.
‘It also captures the three defendants following the mother and her children into the Home Bargains just a minute apart.
‘In the early hours of the following Sunday morning at around midnight to 1am there was contact between Badiova, Cech, Dudi, and Pulko.
‘At 2.28am on the Sunday, July 22 the father was arrested.’
Mr Rees added that Pulko’s mobile internet history showed he accessed news websites regarding articles about the incident at Home Bargains.
The trial continues.
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