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Acid attack victim accuses Metropolitan police of incompetence Acid attack victim accuses Metropolitan police of incompetence
(35 minutes later)
A woman left scarred for life after an acid attack has accused Scotland Yard of incompetence, saying police initially claimed she had poured it over herself.A woman left scarred for life after an acid attack has accused Scotland Yard of incompetence, saying police initially claimed she had poured it over herself.
Naomi Oni, a shop assistant, suffered serious burns on her face and chest in the incident in Dagenham, east London, in 2012.Naomi Oni, a shop assistant, suffered serious burns on her face and chest in the incident in Dagenham, east London, in 2012.
Her former friend, Mary Konye, 22, who disguised herself in a Muslim veil before throwing the sulphuric acid, was jailed for 12 years last week.Her former friend, Mary Konye, 22, who disguised herself in a Muslim veil before throwing the sulphuric acid, was jailed for 12 years last week.
Oni told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that police were slow to act on information she gave them about the attack.Oni told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that police were slow to act on information she gave them about the attack.
She said it almost felt as if she had "been accused of lying", adding that she had suffered "pain and backlash for her [Konye's] actions and other people's incompetency".She said it almost felt as if she had "been accused of lying", adding that she had suffered "pain and backlash for her [Konye's] actions and other people's incompetency".
The Metropolitan police said they considered all lines of inquiry in the early stages of their investigation.
Oni said officers were incompetent "to kind of accuse me of doing it to myself, when I've said somebody has followed me from my workplace to my home".Oni said officers were incompetent "to kind of accuse me of doing it to myself, when I've said somebody has followed me from my workplace to my home".
"I even got told that they watched the CCTV footage and they saw no one following me," she said. "I even got told that they watched the CCTV footage and they saw no one following me," she said. "We've all seen the CCTV footage. There was a person in a veil following me. Why was this not found in the beginning? Nobody has answers to tell me."
"We've all seen the CCTV footage. There was a person in a veil following me.
"Why was this not found in the beginning? Nobody has answers to tell me."
A spokesman for the Metropolitan police said: "All lines of inquiry were considered in the early stages of the investigation. The investigation was detailed and complex and officers had a duty to explore every avenue of inquiry and retain an open mind about the circumstances.A spokesman for the Metropolitan police said: "All lines of inquiry were considered in the early stages of the investigation. The investigation was detailed and complex and officers had a duty to explore every avenue of inquiry and retain an open mind about the circumstances.
"They carried out numerous actions including door-to-door inquiries, leaflet drops, searches, interviews and forensic analyses."They carried out numerous actions including door-to-door inquiries, leaflet drops, searches, interviews and forensic analyses.
"The CCTV evidence took some time to collate and analyse but then clearly showed a veiled suspect trailing the victim before the attack. "The CCTV evidence took some time to collate and analyse but then clearly showed a veiled suspect trailing the victim before the attack. Konye was arrested as the investigation progressed."
"Konye was arrested as the investigation progressed." In a victim impact statement read out to the court last week, Oni said she was "paranoid and scared" about being outdoors alone and admitted having suicidal thoughts.
In a victim impact statement read out to the court last week, Oni said she was now "paranoid and scared" about being outdoors alone and admitted having suicidal thoughts.
It was a "battle to get by each day" after being permanently disfigured, she added.It was a "battle to get by each day" after being permanently disfigured, she added.
She has suffered permanent scars to her leg, chest, stomach and arms, and was almost blinded in one eye. She has suffered permanent scars to her leg, chest, stomach and arms, and was almost blinded in one eye. She faces further reconstructive surgery and must wear a silicon face mask, which makes it difficult to breathe, the court heard.
She faces further reconstructive surgery and must wear a silicon face mask which makes it difficult to breathe, the court heard.