UK

Jamie O'Hara condemns 'sick' acid attack in nightclub as cousin among injured

Mangle nightclub in Dalston, east London, where several revellers suffered burns in an acid attack. Picture by Jack Hardy, Press Association
Mangle nightclub in Dalston, east London, where several revellers suffered burns in an acid attack. Picture by Jack Hardy, Press Association Mangle nightclub in Dalston, east London, where several revellers suffered burns in an acid attack. Picture by Jack Hardy, Press Association

EX-PREMIER League footballer Jamie O'Hara has condemned the "sick" nightclub acid attack in which his cousin was among those injured.

The Celebrity Big Brother star posted a picture of his relative Sadie Wright's scalded face after corrosive liquid was sprayed during an argument at Mangle in Dalston, east London.

Two revellers were seriously hurt when the male suspect threw the substance at them early yesterday morning.

O'Hara wrote on Twitter: "Sick that my cousin got burnt from this acid attack in hackney, innocent people get injured for the sick act of violence, guy should get life."

He also posted a second picture apparently showing damage to Ms Wright's scalp, adding: "Blisters all over my cousins SadieWrightxx head from acid attack in hackney, what is wrong with world that innocent people have to get hurt."

Two male victims, both aged in their twenties, are in a serious but stable condition in hospital, police said.

Hundreds of people were at the venue for a LoveJuice bank holiday event when the incident occurred, and roads were closed as emergency services, including a hazardous area response team, rushed to the scene.

The Metropolitan Police said trouble brewed when two groups of clubbers got into a dispute at the event, and the "noxious substance" was flung directly at the two victims.

The suspected attacker has not been arrested, police said.

One witness, who asked not to be named, described seeing a group pouring bottles of water over what appeared to be an injured friend.

The witness said: "In the party in the basement there were girls making noise, I saw their friends ordering a bottle of water - they were putting it on them, they were splashing it on their faces.

"It was like a war - the police were everywhere.

"I just saw a lot of people complaining, there were a lot of staff around, someone had called the police and a lot of people were crying."

The London Ambulance Service said it had taken 10 patients to hospital, while police said a further two people with similar injuries sought treatment at hospital.

Mangle said in a post on its Facebook page: "We are currently co-operating with the Metropolitan Police's investigation into an incident that occurred on Monday morning. At this stage, we cannot offer any further comment."

A manager of a bar near the club told his staff there had been an acid attack which had left a girl burnt on her face and arm.

Nima Navazande (30) works at the nearby Martello Hall bar and took over from his manager for the morning shift.

He said: "My manager told me that around one o'clock they heard somebody saying that someone was attacked with liquid acid and there was a girl who had half her arm and her face burnt.

"My manager had to lock the doors and stay indoors to make sure nobody got in or out."

Emergency services remained at the scene throughout Monday after first being called at 1.10am.

A London Fire Brigade spokeswoman said: "The only information that we have is that it was an unknown corrosive substance thrown within the nightclub.

"It was identified by a PH paper test as a strong acidic substance."

It comes just over a week after a father, mother and their two-year-old son suffered burns after a strong acid was thrown on them in nearby Islington, north London.

No arrests have been made following the assault on the family at the junction of Copenhagen Street and Caledonian Road at around 1.05pm on April 8.

Police said there is no indication the latest attack was gang-related.