- Mary Konye threw acid in the face of her friend Naomi Oni last year
- Court heard defendant was jealous of Miss Oni's looks
- Was disguised in a Muslim veil when she attacked her in London
- Judge David Radford said it was a 'wicked' and 'deliberate' act
- Handed lengthy sentence at Snaresbrook Crown Court
- Jury was told that Konye spent two years planning the attack
Mary Konye, 22, was sentenced to 12 years in prison at Snaresbrook Crown Court today for hurling acid in the face of her friend, Naomi Oni, while wearing a Muslim veil.
Miss Oni was left scarred for life after suffering serious burns on her face and chest following the incident in Dagenham, east London, on December 30 2012.
Mary Konye (left) was sentenced at Snaresbrook
Crown Court today as a result of the attack last year that left Naomi
Oni with horrific burns
The pair fell out when Miss Oni found out Konye had been texting her boyfriend and described Konye as looking like a hideous cannibal character from the film 'Wrong Turn.'
Judge David Radford, who sentenced Konye to 12 years at London's Snaresbrook Crown Court today, said the consequences of her 'deliberate' and 'wicked' act have been devastating to Miss Oni.'
Konye, was convicted in January. In a statement read to the court by prosecutor Gareth Patterson, Miss Oni said was now 'paranoid and scared' about being outdoors alone.
Judge David Radford, who sentenced Konye to 12 years at London's Snaresbrook Crown Court today, said the consequences of her 'deliberate' and 'wicked act have been devastating to Miss Oni.'
CCTV footage: Konye followed Ms Oni at Barking Station before unleashing the attack last December
Before the attack: In a statement read to the
court, Ms Oni described how she sometimes felt suicidal after the
horrifying incident
He added that it was a 'premeditated and callous' plan to 'burn and disfigure' the victim.
'This careful, premeditated criminality was planned against a person who reasonably believed you were a true friend,' Judge Radford said.
The judge said Konye had been 'deliberately untruthful' during the trial after she admitted throwing the acid following her conviction.
A letter of remorse she had since written was 'utterly belated', he added.
Mr Radford said Ms Oni's life had been 'ruined' along with her trust in friends.
'Her friendship had been so wilfully betrayed by you,' he said.
Miss Oni said in a statement through her solicitor Mitesh Patel: 'My attackers sentence will end but I will have to live with my injuries and disabilities for the rest of my life.
'My family and I have had to put up with false allegation that have done this to myself.
'Its been truly devastating and has even resulted in people distancing themselves from me in my hour of need.
'Almost every aspect of my life has had adverse effects. It is important that I thank my mother and my family and all the people who have written me kind letters of support.'
DCI Dave Whellam said: 'The court recognised the extent of injury and the trauma it has caused the victim and we are very pleased.'
Konye, who was convicted in January, looked straight ahead in the dock and showed no reaction when she was sentenced.
'My attackers sentence will end but I will have to live with my injuries and disabilities for the rest of my life'
Naomi Oni, victim
Naomi Oni, victim
Miss Oni said business student Konye was 'obsessed' with her, attempting to steal her boyfriend before deciding to 'destroy her'.
Shortly before Miss Oni reached her home in Dagenham, Konye doused her with concentrated sulphuric acid, leaving her scarred for life.
CCTV footage obtained by police after the attack showed Konye in a niqab following her as she left at the lingerie shop at around 11.30pm on the night of the incident.
Miss Oni suffered serious burns to her face and chest, lost her hair and eyelashes, and required skin graft surgery to cover the burns.
Giving evidence Miss Oni described how, on her way home, she got off at her bus stop in Dagenham and felt a ‘presence’ before turning to see someone in a niqab.
Scars: The injuries inflicted on by Ms Oni she says have 'turned her life upside down'
She
then felt a ‘massive splash’ as the acid was thrown at her, disfiguring her face, dissolving her hair and eyelashes
and burning her tongue as she screamed.Konye's lawyer Sally O'Neill QC told the court Konye has since admitted throwing the acid following her conviction but maintained she did not intend to cause injury to Ms Oni's face.
'The reason for this incident will always be shrouded in some doubt and mystery," Ms O'Neill said.
She added that Konye was an 'immature 22-year-old' with a possible personality disorder and had been threatened by other inmates while in prison awaiting sentencing.
Acid attack victim considered killing herself after being ‘violated’ by evil attacker
In a statement read to the court by prosecutor Gareth Patterson, Miss Oni said was now 'paranoid and scared' about being outdoors alone.'All this changed that day I was struck with acid and my life was turned upside down,' she said.
It was now a 'battle to get by each day' after being permanently disfigured, she added.
Miss Oni said she had suffered permanent scars to her leg, chest, stomach and arms and was almost blinded in one eye.
Devastated: Miss Oni said she 'broke down' after removing her bandages following surgery
She faces further reconstructive surgery and must wear a silicon face mask which makes it difficult to breathe, the court heard.
Miss Oni said: 'I'm reminded what I look like every day I look in the mirror or see the reaction on people's faces.
'The whole traumatic experience has changed my life. I initially felt angry and hurt. All sorts of things kept going through my mind.
'I sometimes cry when I'm alone. At times I felt suicidal and thought about ending it all.'
During the trial, Miss Oni said in court: ‘I just had my bandages removed and it was the first time I saw my face after surgery and I broke down and I had spoken to Mary that night and I was crying on the phone to her and she was on the phone to me telling me, “don’t worry, you’ll be OK”.’
She added: ‘I was still on the phone to my boyfriend and I felt a presence. I turned to my left and I saw someone and a black abaya [cloak] or a black niqab.
‘I remember it facing me, staring. A presence directly looking at me. All I could see was eyes.’
She then said she felt the splash as the acid was thrown in her face and ran home shouting ‘acid, acid’.
She said: ‘I immediately felt that someone was trying to kill me and so my instinct was to run as fast as I could to get home.
‘I felt, it wasn’t burning, it was a dissolving type of sensation. It was on my face and I remember, as I had my mouth open screaming, it burnt my tongue.’
Mary Konye was born on 20 February 1992 in Newham, east London. Her father died when she was just two, leaving her mother a single parent looking after her only child.
She gained eight GCSEs before studying for A-Levels in Sociology, Media, Business and Psychology at St Angela's Ursuline School, a Catholic secondary school for girls in Forest Gate.
She spent another year at Southgate College doing A-Level retakes before winning a place at the University of Hertfordshire, studied accounting and finance in business.
CCTV image of Konye (in the foreground) trailing
Miss Oni. She hurled the acid in her face shortly before arriving at
her home in Dagenham
On the night of the attack, Miss Oni said she
felt a ¿massive splash¿ as the acid was thrown at her, disfiguring her
face, dissolving her hair and eyelashes and burning her tongue as she
screamed
NA WA O!
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