Olumide Fafore's Blog: 'Who looks like a horror film character now?': What student 'wrote on WhatsApp after throwing acid in her friend's face while disguised in an Islamic veil'

Stalked: CCTV images shown to jurors show victim Naomi Oni, right, being followed by a woman in a niqab, alleged to be her friend Mary Konye who then doused her in acid

A jealous and obsessed student changed her online profile picture to a photo of Freddie Krueger after she threw acid in her friend's face in an apparent reference to the horrific injuries she suffered, a court today heard.

Miss Oni, an assistant at a Victoria's Secrets lingerie shop, was left with life-changiong injuries after Konye disguised herself in a niqab and doused her with sulphuric acid as she walked home from work, it is alleged.

Today jurors were shown a CCTV image allegedly showing Konye following the victim while dressed in the Muslim veil, moments before the attack.

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard that Konye was jealous about Naomi's looks, and she was taunted when the victim compared her to the horror movie character. Seeking revenge, she set out to 'ruin Naomi's looks' and confessed to confidents she planned to attack her friend with acid, jurors heard.

Kamilah Andrews, a friend of Konye, told police she had threatened to attack Naomi with acid so she would know 'how it feels' to feel bad about her appearance.

Gareth Patterson, prosecuting, said: 'Kamilah states that the defendant was insecure about her looks and that Naomi had insulted her.

'And there was a particular insult that was used, and a reference to a particular horror film and a reference to a particular disfigured character in the horror film - "Wrong Turn".

'It involves cannibal characters and disfigured characters, one in particular called a Wrong Turn.

'And Naomi had been rude to the defendant and said she looked like a Wrong Turn, that particular insult stung Mary Konye.

'Kamilah states that the defendant would complain that the victim would never compliment her about her looks.

'Kamilah Andrews states that this greatly affected the defendant, because she admired Naomi, almost to the point of obsession.'

He told jurors that Konye, who studied business and finance at Hertfordshire University and had known Naomi since their school days, threatened to seek revenge by disfiguring her friend.

Mr Patterson said: 'Kamilah states that the defendant would repeatedly say what she would like to do to Naomi.

'She states that the defendant would say 'What if I bought acid and threw it in her face, so she would know how she makes me feel?'

'Kamilah also states that the defendant told her she had joked to others about throwing acid on someone and that someone had suggested to the defendant that she should wear a 'nijab' [sic] so the police could not identify her.

'Following the attack on the victim Kamilah saw that the defendant had updated her profile on 'WhatsApp'.

CCTV of acid attack victim being followed by woman in niquab

Chain of events: Miss Oli, left, left work for home, not knowing her attacker was behind her in disguise, right

Stalking: The prosecution say the woman circled is Mary Konye, who followed her friend on the Tube before dousing her in acid

Attack: Naomi Oni (pictured) had sulphuric acid thrown in her face by a jealous friend who then changed profile picture to Freddie Krueger, a court heard today

Trial: University student Mary Konye is accused of throwing acid in the face of a Victoria's Secret shop worker Naomi Oni because she was jealous of her looks

'It appears that the photograph on the defendant's profile was changed and it then displayed a photograph of Freddie Krueger, the scarred-face character from the horror film 'Nightmare on Elm Street'.

'Kamilah states that the photograph was accompanied by a message stating 'Who looks like Wrong Turn now?''

School friend Safiye Laviniere said Konye changed her status on Blackberry Messenger so a message read 'She better not mess with me or I will make her face look like this' next to a photo of Freddy Krueger.

And Omolola Vincent, who was at college with Konye, said she confessed to her cruel plan after rowing with Naomi about her boyfriend.

Mr Patterson said: 'Omolola states that the defendant said she was going to ruin Naomi's looks.

'One of the subjects which Omolola studies was chemistry and she will tell you that the defendant asked her if there was any acid in the lab and when was the lab open and when was it closed.

'The defendant also spoke about how to do it without getting caught and mentioned getting hold of and wearing Muslim clothing so that only her eyes could be seen.

'In due course the defendant said that she had managed to buy acid and said she planned to wait for Naomi near her house.'

Attack: Jurors heard Ms Oni (pictured) was oblivious to the fact she was being closely followed by Konye wearing a full niqab, a hooded black coat, gloves and a grey bag

Naomi suffered horrific burns when she was attacked by a woman wearing a veil on her way home from work at Westfield Shopping Centre in Stratford, east London, on December 30 2012.

Her face, arms, chest and thigh suffered blistering burns and she had to undergo a series of gruelling skin graft operations.

Miss Oni sobbed as she told the court she thought someone was trying to kill her when the acid was thrown over her face.

She only noticed a 'presence' following her as she turned into the road where the attack took place, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.

Giving evidence she said: 'I turned to my left and there I saw someone in black attire, a black niqab.

'I remember it facing me and staring directly looking at me.

'It was long and black and covered and I could only see the eyes - the face wasn't visible.

'I remember the reflection of the eyes, I remember them being bright and I could see them strongly.'

Asked if she knew the person had been following her from Stratford, Ms Oni replied: 'Not at all.'

Enlarge

Inspiration? The attack on Ms Oni mirrored an acid assault on Katie Piper (pictured), Snaresbrook Crown Court heard yesterday

She continued: 'I saw the black figure and jumped within myself and I remember looking and thinking, 'When did that get there?'

'I just thought I just wanted to cross the road and get home.

'I looked both ways and as I turned my head I felt a massive splash on my face.

'I immediately felt like somebody was trying to kill me and so my instinct was to run as fast as I could to get home - and that is what I did.'

Ms Oni began sobbing while recalling the incident and was led out of court room in tears before Judge David Radford adjourned for a break.

Konye, from Canning Town, east London, admits she dressed in a veil and followed Naomi home on the fateful night.

But she denies carrying out the attack - and claims Naomi did it to herself.

Mr Patterson said Konye's oyster card and mobile phone placed her on the same bus as Naomi the night she was attacked.

The 21 year-old has a 'distinctive' walk which matches the woman in the veil who threw the acid, and clothes damaged by acid were found stashed at her home, it is claimed.

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Tuesday 7 January 2014

'Who looks like a horror film character now?': What student 'wrote on WhatsApp after throwing acid in her friend's face while disguised in an Islamic veil'

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