Naomi Oni Attacker ,Mary Konye Jails For 12 Years

Naomi Oni, 22, suffered burns to her face and chest in the attack near her home in Dagenham, east London, in December 2012.

Mary Konye, 22, of Canning Town, attacked her because she had once called her ugly, her trial was told.

In a victim impact statement, Ms Oni said she had at times felt suicidal since the attack due to her appearance.

Mary Konye wore a veil while following her victim home from work

Judge David Radford told Konye the consequences of her "deliberate" and "wicked act have been devastating to Miss Oni".

It was a "premeditated and callous" plan to "burn and disfigure" her victim, he added.

Ms Oni needed skin grafts and has suffered permanent scars to her leg, chest, stomach and arms and was almost blinded in one eye.

She must wear a silicon face mask and faces further reconstructive surgery.

In the impact statement, read to the court by prosecutor Gareth Patterson, Ms Oni said she found it very difficult to live with her physical appearance and was now "paranoid and scared" about being outdoors alone.

Before the attack, Ms Oni said, she was a "confident" young woman.

"All this changed that day I was struck with acid and my life was turned upside down," she said. She added it was now a "battle to get by each day".

Ms 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. At times I felt suicidal and thought about ending it all." It was her mother who had kept her going, she said.

 "I feel paranoid and scared going out alone," she said. "I'm still scared of being attacked again."

On being attacked by someone who had been a friend since secondary school, Ms Oni said: "It was bad enough believing it was a random attack. Knowing Mary planned this is beyond belief.

"I don't trust people in the same way anymore." Konye's lawyer Sally O'Neill QC told the court she had admitted throwing the acid since her conviction but claims 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," the lawyer said.