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Arthur Collins found guilty of nightclub acid attack in east London Arthur Collins found guilty of nightclub acid attack in east London
(35 minutes later)
A man has been found guilty of an acid attack in a packed London nightclub. Arthur Collins has been found guilty of an acid attack in a packed London nightclub.
Arthur Collins, 25, an ex-boyfriend of the reality TV star Ferne McCann, was on trial for hurling the substance over a crowd at Mangle E8 in Dalston, east London. He was convicted of five counts of grievous bodily harm with intent, and nine counts of actual bodily harm against 14 people. Collins, 25, an ex-boyfriend of the reality TV star Ferne McCann, was on trial for hurling the substance over a crowd at Mangle E8 in Dalston, east London. He was convicted of five counts of grievous bodily harm with intent, and nine counts of actual bodily harm against 14 people.
Earlier on Monday another man, Andre Phoenix, was cleared of helping Collins in the attack. At Wood Green crown court Phoenix had faced four counts of grievous bodily harm and two of actual bodily harm.Earlier on Monday another man, Andre Phoenix, was cleared of helping Collins in the attack. At Wood Green crown court Phoenix had faced four counts of grievous bodily harm and two of actual bodily harm.
CCTV footage showed Collins, the father of McCann’s newborn daughter, throwing a liquid towards a man on the dancefloor at the club on 17 April.CCTV footage showed Collins, the father of McCann’s newborn daughter, throwing a liquid towards a man on the dancefloor at the club on 17 April.
Collins admitted throwing the bottle of fluid over clubbers but said he did not know it was acid. He said 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.Collins admitted throwing the bottle of fluid over clubbers but said he did not know it was acid. He said 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.
There were tears in the public gallery, which was packed with Collins’ friends and family, as the jury’s verdicts were read out. There were tears in the public gallery, which was packed with Collins’s friends and family, as the jury’s verdicts were read out.
More than a dozen people were injured when acid was thrown over the dancefloor, which was packed with bank holiday revellers. More than a dozen people were injured when acid was thrown over the packed dancefloor.
Collins said he had been out celebrating the news of Ms McCann’s pregnancy, which they had announced to her family the previous day. Collins said he had been out celebrating the news of McCann’s pregnancy, which they had announced to her family the previous day.
CCTV showed him and Phoenix arriving at the club at about 9pm before getting into a confrontation with a group of men around four hours later. CCTV showed him and Phoenix arriving at the club at about 9pm before getting into a confrontation with a group of men around four hours later. At about 1am people were seen with hands to their faces and running off the dancefloor after Collins doused them with a liquid.
At around 1am people were seen clutching their faces and running off the dancefloor after Collins doused them with a liquid. Clubbers dropped to their knees, shielded their faces with clothing, and rubbed ice on blistered skin after the attack. The substance was later found to have a rating of pH1 – indicating a strong acid.
Clubbers dropped to their knees, shielded their faces with clothing, and rubbed ice on blistered skin after the attack.
The substance was later found to have a rating of pH1 - indicating a strong acid.
Victims described a burning smell and their skin “blistering straight away” before everyone started “screaming, shouting, running”.Victims described a burning smell and their skin “blistering straight away” before everyone started “screaming, shouting, running”.
Collins and Phoenix were identified from the CCTV footage, in which Collins could be seen wearing a T-shirt with the word “killer” written on it.Collins and Phoenix were identified from the CCTV footage, in which Collins could be seen wearing a T-shirt with the word “killer” written on it.
Phoenix was arrested on April 21 but Collins was not apprehended until a few days later. Phoenix was arrested on 21 April but Collins was not apprehended until a few days later. Collins was Tasered as he was seized by armed police after trying to flee from an upstairs window of a house in Highham Ferrers, Northamptonshire.
Collins was Tasered as he was seized by armed police after trying to flee from an upstairs window of a house in Highham Ferrers, Northamptonshire. He has a previous conviction for actual bodily harm in December 2015 after punching a man in the face in another nightclub attack.
He has a previous conviction for actual bodily harm in December 2015 after punching another man in the face in another nightclub attack. Collins told the jury that he had been in a serious relationship with McCann for about a year at the time of the incident, and had found out she was pregnant just weeks earlier. “It was the happiest I have ever felt. We were both really happy,” he said.
Collins told the jury that he had been in a serious relationship with Ms McCann for around a year at the time of the incident, and had found out she was pregnant just weeks earlier. He said he did not hand himself in to police because he feared McCann would be targeted by gang members if he did.
“It was the happiest I have ever felt. We were both really happy,” he said. Collins was convicted on all counts on a majority verdict of 10 to two. He will be sentenced on 19 December.
He said he did not hand himself in to police because he feared Ms McCann would be targeted by gang members if he did.
Collins was convicted on all counts on a majority verdict of 10 to two. He will be sentenced on December 19.