Yahoo News UK named as one of world's worst places for acid attacks
The UK has one of the highest rates of recorded acid attacks per capita in the world, police have revealed.
More than 400 such attacks were recorded in the six months to April – and this number seems to be rising.
Rachel Kearton, Assistant Chief Constable of Suffolk Police, said officers were struggling to cope with the increase, and called for new legislation to be introduced.
Ms Kerton, who is the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NOCC) lead on corrosive attacks, said at a London briefing on Thursday: “The UK now has one of the highest rates of recorded acid and corrosive substance attacks per capita in the world and this number appears to be rising.
“It appears that in 2017 we will again exceed previous records for the number of attacks [but] I strongly feel that this is an under-reported crime at this time.”
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Ms Kearton said domestic violence and gang crime stops some victims of corrosive attacks from coming forward and reporting their attackers.
At present, police require adequate suspicion to stop potential attackers and are unable to test seized substances in the street.
Proposed new legislation would see suspects carrying corrosive substances, such as bleach and chemical irritants, being required to prove they’re doing so for legitimate reasons.
Ms Kearton said: “We have to bear in mind that these are legitimate substances that often have household uses, that are probably owned by all of us. It’s very difficult to control all substances”
She added that acid attacks are “rare attacks, but they are horrendous. They have lifelong impact and they are used with intent to maim and disfigure, either because there has been complete disregard for the impact that could be caused or because the intent is purely there in order for that person to be scarred for life.”
