Eighteen year old Rebecca Morris has been sentenced to 27 months in a young offenders institution after she ‘spitefully’ threw bleach into the face of a seventeen year old aspiring model in Hull, England.
Victim, Victoria Smith who models under the name Toria Melody was lured to a house party last August by Ms Morris before she threw substance into her eyes, mouth and hair, leaving her temporarily blinded.
The attack had a serious damaging effect on Ms Smith, who has a history of depression and self-harm, that she attempted suicide two months later. The teenager was left with possible permanent damage to her eyesight and now wears a wig because of the effect of the bleach on her hair.
Judge David Tremberg, sentencing Morris at Hull Crown Court, said: “This was an assault which was unprovoked and premeditated and continued saying ‘It was a spiteful and vengeful act.”
He continued: “The emotional harm that you have caused has been grave. While the court should be careful not to lay all of the complainant’s emotional problems at your door, I find to the criminal standard that what you did has, at very least, seriously exacerbated her pre-existing problems such as to transform her from a person who had, prior to the offence, been able to cope with her difficulties and continue to enjoy an acceptable quality of life to somebody who is currently unable to do so.”
The court was told of ill feelings between the two teenagers as Ms Morris believes that Ms Smith had been involved in her exclusion from college.
Judge Tremberg said: “It seems clear that you bore her no goodwill. On occasions prior to the date of the offence, you had threatened to throw bleach in her face.”
He added: “You were clearly intent upon making good on your threat to throw such a harmful substance in her face. When you got to her, that is precisely what you did.
“The bleach that you threw went in her hair, into both of her eyes and into her mouth.”
The court heard previously that Morris shouted: “There’s your shot of bleach instead of your shot of vodka. That’s for getting me kicked out of college” as she threw the small cup of bleach at Ms Smith.
The judge described Ms Smith as a “young person of fragile mental health” who had received treatment for depression and obsessive compulsive disorder in the past but managed to “live a fulfilling life”.
He said her life had changed since the attack and she now felt unable to socialise or attend college. She has said she now feels unable to model.
“She has become withdrawn and depressed. She has suffered flashbacks, panic attacks and suicidal ideation. Indeed, towards the end of October last year, she attempted suicide,” Judge Tremberg said.
Morris pleaded guilty to throwing a corrosive liquid with the intent to burn, maim, disfigure or disable or do some grievous bodily harm, she was also issued with a restraining order banning her from contacting Ms Smith for four years but Morris showed no remorse or guilt for what she had done.
“I hope Morris’s sentence serves as a warning to others. She’s not only been sentenced to 27 months, but also has a criminal record which could affect her future aspirations and job prospects.” concluded the judge.