South London teenager blinded in acid attack

The case was featured today (March 17) on the BBC's Crimewatch Live programme where further details and potential links to another attack were discussed.

As police described, two young men were seriously hurt and one of them blinded in the incident, which took place on the morning of December 7 at Thornton Heath roundabout.

Around 08.10am the two victims, a 25-year-old man and a 19-year-old man, were walking along Thornton Road in Thornton Heath towards Thornton Heath Pond roundabout.

As they walked towards the pedestrian crossing, near the junction with Gonville Road, they were approached by the suspect, a man they did not know.

CCTV image of the suspect shared by the Met Police

He then "threw a cup of corrosive liquid over the two men before continuing in the same direction and then turning right into Limpsfield Avenue," a Met Police spokesperson described.

"As he ran off, his boots were heard slapping on the ground – suggesting either that the boots were too big for him or he was wearing a heavy shoe," they added.

Both men attacked with the substance were hospitalised, and the 19-year-old sadly lost his sight permanently from the injuries he sustained.

Police said one line of inquiry they are keeping open is that the attack was racially motivated.

They also said it could be linked to another attack on the 19-year-old victim three months earlier, on Monday September 7.

In that incident, the suspect called at the victim’s flat in Thornton Heath and told him over the intercom that he had a letter for him.

But when the victim went to talk to him (as seen in the CCTV footage) the suspect punched him twice in the face with a bicycle chain wrapped around his fist, before strolling off.

Police said the suspect was described as a white or Asian male, of slim build with a black hooded jacket, and dark coloured trousers and shoes/boots.

On each occasion he was wearing a light blue medical mask and a dark coloured baseball cap.

Detective Sergeant Natalie Reseigh, of the South Area CID appeared on the BBC's Crimewatch Live:

"The corrosive substance attack was a violent and unprovoked assault on two innocent victims and we are doing everything in our power to bring the person responsible to justice," she said.

"The victims were left shaken, injured and their lives have been changed forever as a result of this individual’s actions.

"The bicycle chain attack, which we believe was carried out by the same person, was also vicious and unprovoked. Whoever committed these offences is obviously dangerous and we need to get him off the streets.

"We believe there was a witness to the bicycle chain attack who could help us with our investigation. There was a white van in the street at the time of the attack and we believe the driver would have witnessed the assault.

"Moments after the attack, the white van reversed and the driver appears to have spoken to the suspect before he walked off. We’d really like that van driver to come forward as we believe he could have crucial information that might help us find the person involved.

"I would urge anyone with information about either attack to come forward and speak to police or to Crimestoppers anonymously," Reseigh added.

To support the investigation, the independent charity Crimestoppers are offering a reward of up to £5,000 for information the charity exclusively receives – either online at Crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling freephone 0800 555 111 - that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the acid attack.