UPDATE: |”Imagine that on his skin?”: Thug’s cruel boasts before throwing acid in face of teenager News

After the attack, Gilson Martin bragged it had ‘gone down a treat’

A thug launched corrosive acid in the face of a 16-year-old boy in an ‘insidious’ revenge attack. Gilson Martins approached the lad in Stockport in March last year before demanding his coat off him. He then threw the substance into his face and fled.

Nearby, awaiting co-defendant Joanne Edwards, 45, picked him up and drove him from the scene on Brandon Road. In the hours after the attack, he boasted it had ‘gone down a treat’.

The 16-year-old went to a friend’s house to shower off the acid before going to hospital. He was left with a large chemical burn to his neck and face.

Days later, Martins then hunted down the 21-year-old son of Edwards, who had overheard his plans to attack the boy, during which he showed off the acid and exclaimed: “Imagine that on his skin? It’s going to melt his face off.”

Minshull Street Crown Court heard he kicked in the back door of his house whilst the man barricaded himself in his bedroom. Martins then made threats to stab him and throw acid on him before stating he would ‘carve his name into him’.

When 23-year-old Martins was finally caught up with, police found drugs, a balaclava and a bottle of hydrofluoric acid.

Jailing him, Recorder David Temkin KC said: “This is an extremely serious case resulting in an attack on a 16-year-old boy in revenge.”

The court heard that Martins dealt drugs to the boy before and planned to attack him with the acid. He showed Edwards’ son the acid, as well as the burns on his legs he had got from it when he had spilt it on himself.

“You also demonstrated the toxic nature of it by pouring it onto a piece of paper which burned,” said the judge. “You said this about the attack: “Imagine that on his skin? It’s going to melt his face off.”

Later that night, on March 23 last year, he asked Edwards to call the boy to ask him to pick up some drugs. She was unaware of the attack that had been planned, prosecutors said.

Edwards drove Martins to the area before he walked off to meet the boy. Immediately after the attack he stole drugs from him before fleeing.

The judge found that Edwards would have been aware that there had been an attack as she drove Martins away. She has since pleaded guilty to assisting an offender.

The teenager was left in immediate pain as a result of the acid, and his jacket had begun to ‘bubble’. He remained in hospital for a number of weeks and has been left permanently scarred.

Martins initially claimed the lad was carrying a knife, but this was not accepted by prosecutors or the judge. He has since accepted this was not true, the court heard.

“This was an unprovoked, planned, targeted attack on a young man who was not carrying a knife,” said the judge.

Later, Martins boasted to Edwards’ son that ‘they are definitely not getting me’. He was ‘fearful’ of Martins and had cut ties with his mum as a result of the attack, the judge said.

Knowing the man had heard his plans, Martins repeatedly called and messaged him before going to his house on April 4. After breaking into the house, Martins issued a number of threats and said anyone that gets him would ‘get a grand’.

After he eventually left the house, the man discovered holes in his bedroom door which was suggested to have been made by Martins.

The defendant was arrested on April 11, and found to have another bottle of acid, 30 wraps of heroin and cocaine, a bag of cannabis, two mobile phones, a balaclava and cash.

In a statement, Edwards’ son said he had to move from the area and ‘start his whole life from scratch’.

Martins was said to have played for ‘well known football clubs’ in Yorkshire, but left the area after he was stabbed. He was selling drugs to fuel his drug habit at the time of the attack. Edwards said in mitigation that she ‘should have gone to the police’ and was remorseful.

Martins, of Ashton Street, Rochdale, was jailed for eight years and two months, for robbery, two counts of possession of a corrosive substance, intimidation and drugs offences.

Edwards, of Dartmouth Crescent, Stockport, was handed a community order, 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and a nine month drug programme.

Speaking after the hearing, Laura Keegan, a Senior Crown prosecutor for CPS North West said: “Gilson Martins’ insidious acid attack left the young victim scarred and needing hospital treatment – and today’s sentence reflects the severity of his crimes.

“The Crown Prosecution Service worked closely with Greater Manchester Police to build a strong case, piecing together eyewitness evidence, CCTV footage and cell site evidence, showing where Martins’ mobile phone was at key times.

“The strength of the evidence was such that Martins and Edwards, who assisted him to flee the scene, pleaded guilty.

“We will never allow attacks using corrosive substances on our streets to go unpunished – and today’s sentence should serve as a reminder to would-be criminals that we will pursue them with the full force of the law.”

Detective Constable Heather Parke, from GMP’s Stockport district, said: “The effects of attacks involving corrosive substances are well-known, and can result in severe, life-changing injuries or even death.

“Using them in attacks is utterly vile and I am glad Martins is now behind bars for his vicious assault. His victim received injuries from which he is still suffering, and has already received numerous treatments.

“We have zero tolerance for these sort of crimes, and we put considerable resources into ensuring that Martins was arrested, charged, and sentenced. He now has a long time to think about his actions inside a prison cell.”