Man admits acid attack that seriously injured aspiring model and cousin on her 21st birthday

A man has admitted seriously injuring an aspiring model and her cousin after acid was thrown at them through a car window as she celebrated her 21st birthday in east London.

Resham Khan and Jameel Muhktar were assaulted with acid on Khan's 21st birthday as they waited in a car at traffic lights in Beckton, east London, on Wednesday 21 June shortly after 9am.

The pair suffered "life changing" burns to their faces and bodies after the incident in Tollgate Road.

On Friday (13 October) John Tomlin appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to two counts of inflicting grievous bodily harm (GBH).

But this lesser charge was not accepted by prosecutors and the 25-year-old, who has six teardrops tattooed on his face and was wearing a blue tracksuit, will stand trial next month.

Tomlin, of Canning Town, east London, has subsequently pleaded not guilty to two charges of causing GBH with intent.

Tomlin waved to family in the public gallery as he was brought into the dock Judge Sheeagh Canavan set a trial date of 27 November.

Khan, a business management student at Manchester Metropolitan University, and Muhktar, 37, suffered severe burns to the face and body in the incident.

After the alleged attack the Met Police released an image of Tomlin, who was not arrested until 9 July, when he handed himself into a police station more than two weeks later.

Khan said after the incident on Twitter: "I saw my clothes burn away in front of me. We stripped off in the middle of the road, running around screaming and begging for water."

Then in an interview with Channel 4 News Muhktar, who had to be placed in an induced coma, said the burns felt like "somebody's ironing me 24/7".

"It was excruciating pain. I was screaming like a baby. I'm petrified," he said. "I don't know what's going to happen. I'm going to be scarred for life. I'm emotionally wrecked. I'm in continuous pain."