UPDATE: |Red-handed in the back of a taxi, the moment a callous acid attacker was cornered News

“Do me a favour and give him a really good search now because there’s a probable”

This is the moment armed police arrested an acid attacker in the back of a taxi, and found he was carrying even more acid.

Gilson Martins, 23, was jailed for over eight years after throwing acid in the face of a teenager. Earlier that day, he’d boasted about his plans by pouring the substance onto a piece of paper and stating: “Imagine that on his skin? It’s going to melt his face off.”

The 16-year-old victim was left permanently scarred.

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

Martins then hunted down the 21-year-old son of Edwards, who had overheard his plans to attack the boy.

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’.

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.”

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.

Martins was arrested on April 11 last year. Body cam footage of the arrest has been shared by Greater Manchester Police.

In it, a dark grey taxi has been stopped and surrounded by a number of unmarked police cars. Plain clothed officers, all wearing gas masks, open the back passenger seat and haul Martins to the ground, placing him in handcuffs.

In another clip, an officer is speaking to Martins at the side of the road. He asks him: “Is there anything now that can hurt us? Do you understand what I mean?”

Martins replies quietly: “Yeah yeah yeah.”

The officer then says to him: “You need to be genuine with me now,” before Martins interrupts him: “Yeah yeah.”

Speaking to an officer next to him, the first cop says: “Do me a favour and give him a really good search now because there’s a probable.”

In a further clip, whilst Martins is being escorted into the back of a police van, the officer says: “He has been properly searched but there is acid in the back, he’s been in the back of a taxi. There is acid in the back of the taxi.”

Officers found another bottle of acid, 30 wraps of heroin and cocaine, a bag of cannabis, two mobile phones, a balaclava and cash.

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. She previously pleaded guilty to assisting an offender after she had driven Martins away from the scene.

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.”