Ferne McCann’s ex Arthur Collins LOSES Court of Appeal challenge against 20-year jail-term for nightclub acid attack
FERNE McCann's ex has today lost a Court of Appeal challenge against his 20-year jail sentence over a nightclub acid attack.
Arthur Collins was slammed for the "despicable act" as he was jailed last year for hurling the corrosive substance over crowds on a dancefloor in East London.
The 26-year-old had today asked three judges at the Court of Appeal in London for his 20-year sentence to be reduced but was knocked back.
Rejecting the appeal, Judge Keith Cutler, QC, said: "We accept that these were severe sentences but these were exceptionally serious offences.
"The judge was entitled to impose a severe sentence."
Collins left 16 people with chemical burns, while three were temporarily blinded, after the attack at Mangle E8 in Dalston in April 2017.
But Michael Wolkind QC, for Collins, had argued there was "genuine remorse" on the side of the thug.
He said: "There is remorse genuine remorse. Arthur Collins' actions were horrendous and disgraceful and unforgivable. His defence at court was laughable but not funny.
"He has never served a prison sentence in custody and, doubtless contrary to the families of the victims, the family of this defendant believe this to be crushing."
The trial was told Collins had been out celebrating the news of his then girlfriend's pregnancy when the acid attack unfolded.
After the attack, he went on the run and was not caught until several days later hiding out in a house in Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire.
The father of Ferne McCann's baby daughter Sunday had previously told his trial he did not know the bottle contained acid, claiming he believed it contained a liquid date rape drug which he had snatched from two men after overhearing them planning to spike a girl's drink.
Collins pleaded not guilty but a jury convicted him of five counts of grievous bodily harm with intent and nine counts of actual bodily harm in December 2017.
Earlier this year, Collins admitted to consultant psychiatrist Dr Philip Joseph that he knew the bottle contained acid.
In January, he was jailed for another eight months for using a smuggled mobile phone to call Ms McCann from his prison cell.
He has previous convictions including threatening words, possession of cocaine and assault.
He was also still subject to a suspended sentence for punching a man at a nightclub when he carried out the acid attack.
MOST READ IN NEWS
Sentencing Collins in December last year for the acid attack, Judge Noel Lucas said he was "an accomplished and calculating liar" who has not "demonstrated the slightest remorse".
The judge added that Collins had deliberately taken strong acid to the night club "to use when the need arised".
Judge Noel Lucas QC praised three victims for their "extraordinary courage" in returning to court.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368. You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.