Woman's eyes sprayed with suspected ammonia in "totally unprovoked attack"

A woman was sprayed in the face with suspected ammonia after she refused to let strangers into her home.

The victim, who was left in "excruciating" pain, needed her eyes washed out with "several litres" of water at hospital to reduce the dangerously high Ph levels and save her sight after the attack.

Newcastle Crown Court she had been at home in her pyjamas after a night out last December when a group of three people, which included David Nicholson, turned up at her door.

The woman knew one of the visitors but Nicholson, who she did not know, asked for a cigarette and tried to make his way inside.

Prosecutor Kevin Wardlaw said the woman was "uncomfortable"and said she did not want people who were not known to her inside her home.

In response, Nicholson squirted a substance from a Fairy liquid bottle, which had been handed to him by another male, into her face, twice.

Mr Wardlaw said: "The defendant, in her terms, swilled her with something in a Fairy liquid bottle, ammonia or bleach, it had a strong smell and there was a burning effect when it struck her in the face.

"It caused immediate pain, extreme discomfort to the right side of her face. Such was her discomfort she lost consciousness."

The court heard the woman needed hospital treatment and her eyes, which were red and had an extremely high Ph level of 12, were washed with litres of water.

When police arrived at the woman's home, the smell of the liquid was still strong.

Nicholson, 21, of Hauxley Drive, Gosforth, Newcastle, admitted assault.

The male who handed him the bottle that was used that day was sentenced at an earlier hearing.

The victim said in an impact statement: "The incident came about for no reason whatsoever, a totally unprovoked attack by two males who don't even know me and think they can attack a person because she didn't want them in her flat."

She said she was left scared, would jump at loud noises and spent nights away from her home as she feared being alone. And she added that while she was fortunate to not be physically scarred, she was emotionally scarred by what happened.

Mr Wardlaw added: "It appears to be good luck that more serious injury was not caused."

Brian Hegarty, defending, said Nicholson has never been in trouble before and is a vulnerable person who is easily exploited.

Mr Hegarty said Nicholson had been drinking before the attack and is "very remorseful" for it.

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Judge Gavin Doig said: "She asked you to leave, as she was perfectly entitled to.

"CCTV shows you and the other male left and he handed you a bottle. You returned to the door and you attracted her attention and when she came to the door you squirted her in the face with something she believed to be ammonia.

"It was something which clearly had a very high PH level and caused immediate, excruciating pain for her.

"She went to push you away and you squirted her again.

"It was incredibly fortunate for her and of course for you, that the injuries caused were not more serious.

"She was taken to hospital and her eyes were washed out with several litres of water until the Ph level dropped to a more normal level."

Nicholson, who has stayed out of trouble since, was sentenced to 20 months, suspended for two years, with rehabilitation requirements, alcohol abstainance requirement and a five year restraining order to protect the victim.