Latest news straight to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Violent crimes involving acid, hot water and other corrosive substances have nearly doubled in the West Midlands since 2012, according to new figures which also reveal a 30 per cent increase across the country.

Police forces across England and Wales have recorded more than 500 offences in which people were injured or threatened with acid or other corrosive substances since 2012.

They included 242 reports of violent crime which mentioned acid or other corrosive substances across 23 forces in 2014 and 2015, compared with 186 alleged offences in 2012 and 2013.

In the West Midlands the figures nearly doubled between 2012 and 2013 and have remained at around the same rate for the last two years.

In 2012 the force recorded 13 offences, which jumped to 22 in 2013, 25 in 2014 and 23 between January and November last year.

In one case a dangerous pensioner was jailed for 18 years in December 2014 for plotting an acid attack on his teenage ex-girlfriend in revenge for her dumping him.

Mohammed Rafiq orchestrated the plan to disfigure his former lover, Vikki Horsman, who was left with serious burns on her face, neck and body after acid was thrown at her by one of his accomplices.

Rafiq, of Cheshire Road, Smethwick, was jailed after being found guilty of wounding with intent and perverting the course of justice.

He challenged his lengthy sentence at London’s Criminal Appeal Court last June but his complaints were thrown out by three senior judges, who said allowance had already been made for his age, as he could have faced a life sentence.

Rafiq, of Cheshire Road, Smethwick, paid two men £50 to attack Ms Horsman in April 2014 after she ended their relationship.

She suffered burns to eight per cent of her body, mostly on her face and neck, and had to undergo skin grafts.

Shannon Heaps, 23, and Steven Holmes, 25, were found guilty of plotting to attack Ms Horsman at her friend’s house in Tividale.

They were jailed for 12 and 14 years respectively.

They had both denied causing grievous bodily harm but were found guilty.

Jaf Shah, director of the Acid Survivors Trust International, said: “The British Government needs to look into this subject with far greater seriousness to understand why these attacks are occurring and what can be done to prevent them occurring.

“The Colombian government is taking action due to a huge public outcry which in turn led to changes in the law including tighter control on sale of acids and tougher sentencing of attackers.

“The fact that the majority of victims in the UK are men goes against the global pattern where women tend to be victims.”

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said violent crimes involving corrosive substances were on the rise in the UK and there were concerns that incidents were not being reported.

Deputy Chief Constable Andy Cooke, the NPCC’s lead on violence and public protection, said: “The use of corrosive substances to commit acts of violence is something that we are seeing more of both in the UK and globally.

“This type of offence is extreme and generally a very personalised crime with the aim being to cause lasting physical and emotional damage to victims.

“It is virtually impossible to ban the sale of all corrosive substances as many are household products, including for example bleach and drain cleaner, and are readily available over the counter at DIY and pharmacy stores, as well as supermarkets.

“I am sure that some offences of this type are not reported as a crime to the police. Crimes such as this should not go unreported and I would urge anyone who is a victim of this type of attack to report it so that we can deal with the matter positively and sensitively.”

The force said around half of the 25 incidents were cases of hot drinks or hot water being thrown at people, while the figures also included people being burnt with cigarettes, bleach and flammable liquids and - in one case - a hot plate.

A spokesman added: "In fact, there was only one reported acid attack in the West in 2015, two in 2014, and one in 2013.