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The number of acid attacks in London has soared in the past six years, new figures have revealed.

Between 2011 and 2016, there was almost 1,500 reports of attacks involving corrosive fluids in the capital.

There were 431 attacks last year alone, compared to 261 the previous year.

The borough with the most acid attacks was Newham in east London - which had three times more attacks than the next highest borough, with a total of 398 attacks from 2011 to 2016.

In an infamous attack in Newham in 2014 a woman threw acid in the face of her friend while disguised in a Muslim veil.

Business student Mary Konye, 22, attacked Naomi Oni, a Victoria's Secret shop assistant, over a "trivial, insignificant" argument after following her home from work.

Ms Oni was left scarred for life after suffering serious burns on her face and chest following the incident in Dagenham, east London, on December 30 2012.

(Image: ITV) (Image: pa)

Judge David Radford, who sentenced Konye to 12 years at London's Snaresbrook Crown Court today, said the consequences of her "deliberate" and "wicked act have been devastating to Miss Oni".

He added that it was a "premeditated and callous" plan to "burn and disfigure" the victim.

The borough in second spot, Barking & Dagenham, had 134 acid attacks between the same period.

The lowest number of acid attacks took place in the boroughs of Lambeth and Kensington and Chelsea, which has 15 acid attacks each between 2011 and 2016.

The figures were revealed in a Freedom of Information request to the Met Police , which said stats showed offences in which "corrosive fluids" were thrown with "intent to cause grievous bodily harm" or to "cause an explosion".

A spokesman added: "Not all victims have had liquid thrown in their face, it could be any part of their body and/or their clothing or vehicle/property'".

In total, there were 1,490 acid attacks in London between 2011 and 2016.

Speaking last year Jaf Shah, executive director of Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI) in the UK, said acid attacks were under-reported.

He said: "With acid, there's an attempt to disfigure and mane rather than kill.

"For this reason, it has become a weapon of choice for that particular purpose, instead of a knife or gun, for example."

He said that acid attacks were a 'hidden crime' as many survivors feared reprisals from their attackers.

The full list of acid attacks by borough is:



1 - Newham - 398

2 - Barking & Dagenham - 134

3 - Tower Hamlets - 84

4 - Havering - 81

5 - Redbridge - 64

6 - Hackney - 45

7 - Barnet - 44

8 - Croydon - 42

9 - Ealing - 40

10 - Hillingdon - 36

11 - Islington - 34

12 - Hounslow - 31

13 - Hammersmith & Fulham - 30

14 - Brent - 30

15 - Waltham Forest - 29

16 - Greenwich 28

17 - Harrow - 27

18 - Lewisham - 27

19 - Sutton - 27

20 - Richmond-upon-Thames - 25

21 - Enfield - 26

22 - Southwark - 24

23 - Westminster - 24

24 - Camden - 24

25 - Bromley - 19

26 - Merton - 19

27 - Haringey - 18

28 - Bexley - 17

29 - Wandwsowth - 17

30 - Kingston upon Thames - 16

31 - Lambeth - 15

32 - Kensington & Chelsea - 15



