'IT WAS LIKE A HORROR FILM' Chilling moment teen thug sprays chemical in five boys’ faces leaving them with horrendous burns
A TEEN thug has been jailed for eight years after spraying five friends with a searing hot chemical in scenes compared to a “horror film”.
Alexander Bassey, described as an “intelligent young man” in court, unleashed the disturbing assault as his gang of 20 friends stood nearby laughing.
His traumatised teen victims have told how they “felt like they were going to die” as the acid-like substance “burned into their flesh”.
Degenerate thug Bassey approached the youngsters at Ockendon station in Essex in the early hours of a Sunday, March 22, after they had been to a party.
In a totally random attack he then pulled a sports bottle from behind his back and squirted a highly-corrosive alkaline liquid in their faces.
Twisted Bassey, from Dagenham, east London, then re-joined his 20-strong group of friends who could be seen laughing and joking.
The unprovoked attack was captured on CCTV which was released today for the first time.
Lee Elliot, 17, suffered the worst burns and may never fully regain his sight.
Tyrone Terry, also 17, suffered burns to his mouth and tongue, and bravely sat in Basildon Crown Court today to face his attacker.
Other victims Billy Milne, 17, and Connor Leeman, 16, suffered burns to their faces while 18-year-old Kane Richards’ hand was burnt.
Bassey admitted three counts of GBH with intent and two of attempted GBH with intent at an earlier hearing.
Wearing a grey tracksuit, he was brought up from custody into the dock of courtroom four and was flanked by two female security guards in court today.
James Dick, prosecuting, told the court Lee Elliot was so badly hurt he feared he was going to die.
He added: “Alexander Bassey walked up to the boys who remained sat at the platform.
“He got to the stage where he was four-feet away and said ‘What are you saying? Where are you from?
“Lee Elliot remembers saying ‘we don’t want any trouble’.
“Two witnesses recall Alexander Bassey saying ‘well f*ck you’. He had a bottle in his right hand and he shook it and squeezed it – first of all at head height straight in Lee Elliot’s face.
“He moved the bottle along the row of boys, backwards and forwards five times.
“It was initially thought to be acid but tests later showed the liquid was a very strong alkaline.
“The liquid went straight into Lee Elliot’s eyes and he felt a terrible burning and he and the others shouted ‘acid’.
“Tyrone Terry notes how Lee Elliot was panicking and thought he was going to die”.
At an earlier hearing the court heard how one of the victims described the ordeal being “like in a horror film”.
Mr Dick added: “There appears no apparent reason or motive for the attack – as far as the boys on the platform were concerned, they were minding their own business.”
“They sought help from a gentleman from the staff of the station but he would not let them in to wash their faces.
“It was only later when the ambulance and police arrived were they able to get treatment.”
Lee Elliot was initially blinded and although his eyesight returned in the days after he was struck, he still has blurred vision and doctors are not sure if it will ever return to normal.
Tyrone Terry told British Transport Police how he felt the liquid “burning into his flesh” and through his tongue – damaging his taste buds.
All of the youngsters have been left suffering psychological damage from the attack and requested that the details of their victim impact statements not be heard in public court.
Bassey, who handed himself in to police, had been drinking and taking drugs on the night and was heavily intoxicated.
The “very intelligent” teen showed no reaction as he was sentenced but one of his friends put his hand to his mouth in shock.
Judge Ian Graham, sentencing, told Bassey he feared he would offend again.
He said: “You appear before the court for five extremely serious offences.
“There is no explanation as to why you should have done this.”
Judge Graham said the alkaline was “extremely caustic and extremely dangerous”
Bassey was told he would serve half of his time in custody and the remainder would be under an extended supervision period.
Iain Purdie, mitigating, said: “I can offer the explanation of drunkenness and drug taking but that is not an excuse.
“He is a very intelligent young man who for some strange reason on that night completely lost control of his senses.”
A dozen of Bassey’s tracksuit-clad friends sat in the public gallery. They were warned to behave by court staff before the hearing commenced.
Judge Graham lifted reporting restrictions which would have banned Bassey from being named because he is not 18.
He said: “These are very serious offences, committed in a public place, and I am prepared to lift the order.”
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