Man, 80, jailed for acid attack on girlfriend aged 19
Mohammed Rafiq starts jail sentence for ordering 'wicked' assault on Vikki Horsman in West Midlands after she tries to end their relationship
Mohammed Rafiq, left, ordered the assault on 19-year-old Vikki Horsman Photo: SWNS
By Agency
2:58PM GMT 19 Dec 2014
A jealous pensioner who organised a horrific revenge acid attack on his teenage ex-girlfriend has been jailed for 18 years.
Mohammed Rafiq, 80, hatched a plan to blame an innocent man before ordering the pre-planned assault on 19-year-old Vikki Horsman, which also involved a recently released prisoner and another offender.
Rafiq, from Smethwick, West Midlands, and co-defendants Steven Holmes and Shannon Heaps were found guilty last week of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Jailing all three men at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Judge Nicholas Webb described the attack in Tividale, West Midlands, as a "wicked" act with grave consequences.
Rafiq showed no sign of emotion in the dock as Judge Webb described him as being old enough to be his victim's great-grandfather.
Holmes, 25, also from Smethwick, was jailed for 14 years after a judge heard he was paid just £50 to throw acid into the face of Miss Horsman.
Heaps, 23, from Tividale, was given a 12-year custodial sentence for his role in pointing out the property where the doorstep attack took place.
Miss Horsman was present in court to see the men being sentenced.
The care worker was sprayed with a corrosive liquid after answering the door to Holmes on April 15 and later spent five days in intensive care with burns to her face, neck and body.
Passing sentence, Judge Webb told Rafiq, Heaps and Holmes: "Acid attacks are not uncommon in certain parts of the world.
"Thankfully, they are rare in England. Quite often they are to punish a woman who has refused to bow to the demands of a spouse.
"In such cases it is done to leave a permanent reminder of what happens when a woman rejects attempts to control her."
The judge pointed out that Miss Horsman was still only 20 and had been vulnerable when she met Rafiq following the death of both her parents.
Judge Webb told Rafiq: "She had decided she didn't want to continue her relationship with you and you became jealous and angry.
"You obtained the acid and left it at the front door of the house for Holmes to pick it up and throw."
Turning to Holmes, Judge Webb went on: "I have formed the view that you are callous and lacking in true remorse. As far as I can tell you have no real conscience.
"Once Vikki Horsman had identified herself, you threw acid at her. She has received excellent treatment, but she is still badly scarred. In a sense, she is fortunate in that she was not blinded."
Defence barrister Andrew Baker, mitigating for Rafiq, acknowledged that Miss Horsman was likely to suffer psychological "scars" for many year to come.
Mr Baker said of Rafiq: "What possessed him, apart from blind jealousy, for this act of madness no one can ever begin to imagine."
