These days the evil that men do amazes the devil himself. West Mercia Police in England say they have arrested four men in connection with an acid attack against a 3 year old toddler in western England.
The Police say the boy was deliberately targeted when a corrosive substance was thrown in his face on Saturday afternoon by the men, although Officials have not said whether it was acid or a different corrosive liquid.
The toddler was taken to a hospital after the acid attack and treated for serious burns on his arms and face. Although the toddler has been discharged, police acknowledged the acid attack could still have long-term implications for the toddler’s health.
The attack had taken place outside Home Bargains, a discount home wares store in Worcester, around 2:15 p.m. on Saturday while the boy was in his stroller.
A 39 year old man was arrested in connection with the acid attack on the toddler on suspicion of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm. This led to the arrest of three others, aged 22, 25, and 26, also arrested on suspicion of the same charge although investigators have not publicly identified a motive for the attack.
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The number of acid attacks in the UK has been on the increase in the last few years with Britain recording one of the highest rates of attacks with corrosive substances, including acid.
Police say some of these attacks have been related to gang fights, and London has been plagued by a rising case of moped riders carrying out acid attacks.
Unlike with knives which are prohibited by specific UK laws’, carrying corrosive substances was not a specific offense in the UK until recently, which made it harder for police to act against people who armed themselves with corrosive substances like acid.
A proposed legislation in June intends to make it a criminal offence to sell a corrosive product to someone under 18 or possess a corrosive substance in public space.