Man found in London with bottle of acid jailed for 12 months

A 21-year-old man arrested in London for carrying a bottle of acid has been jailed for 12 months.

Bradley Kerr pleaded guilty to one count of possession of an offensive weapon and was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday (17 August).

Kerr was stopped in Eleanor Street, Bow, in the early hours of 18 July after a man reported he had been robbed by a group of males and the suspects were still on scene.

Officers searched Kerr and discovered in his bag a soft drink bottle containing a fluid, which officers suspected contained a noxious substance.

Tests later revealed the substance had a high pH level was confirmed as a bleach-type substance that would cause injury if thrown at somebody.

Kerr's conviction comes after the number of acid attack victims in England doubled since 2012, police figures obtained by the BBC show.

In 2012/13, there were 146 reported acid attack victims. This compares with 398 in 2016/17.

The majority of those cases took place in London.

Detective Sergeant Mike Stubbins, of Tower Hamlets CID, said of Kerr's conviction: "This is an excellent result and the sentence reflects how seriously the police and the courts view the possession of acid and noxious substances.

"There was no good reason for Kerr to be carrying this fluid around with him and this sends out a message that police will not hesitate to arrest anyone believed to be carrying these types of substances, and pursue prosecutions vigorously.

"These substances can be, and unfortunately are, used in the commission of crimes which have a huge impact on victims' lives."

If you would like to report anyone you suspect of carrying a noxious substance, or if you are a victim or a witness to a crime involving a noxious substance, call police on 101 or 999 in an emergency, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Alternatively, tweet Met Police via @MetCC.