Katie Piper completes Royal Parks Half Marathon days after her attacker was released from prison
Flashing a happy smile for the cameras, Katie swapped her ballroom heels for her running trainers to compete in the event for her charity
KATIE Piper completed today's Royal Parks Half Marathon with a smile on her face just days after her attacker was released from prison.
Flashing a happy smile for the cameras, Katie swapped her ballroom heels for her running trainers to raise money and awareness for The Katie Piper Foundation.
Brave Katie remained strong despite the knowledge acid beast Stefan Sylvestre, 30, is once again free to walk the streets.
Sylvestre, from Shepherd's Bush, West London, was given a life sentence in 2009 for the attack and was told he would serve a minimum of six years.
The fiend was released on Wednesday — the day before Katie's birthday — from Highpoint jail in Suffolk and is now back in London.
But Katie didn't let it dampen her spirits and kept her 806k Instagram followers updated with her progress by regularly posting throughout the day.
Ahead of competing she uploaded a video of her wishing her fellow runners luck before the big 'ready, set, go.'
She later informed her fans that she completed the task in 2 hours 18 mins and "got drenched in the rain but loved every mile."
The gruelling course sees competitors run through London's four royal parks - Hyde Park, Green Park, Kensington Gardens and St.James' Park.
Yesterday Katie said she was using meditation to "stay calm" after Sylvestre was released from prison — on her birthday.
One of the TV presenter and Strictly star's pictures read: "Go within every day and find the inner strength so that the world will not blow your candle out."
Captioning the emotional post, mum-of-two Katie wrote: "Thank you for all the messages, birthday wishes and encouragement for tonight, very kind of you all!
"Using mediation to stay calm and centred today.
"See you on the ballroom floor tonight".
She also released a video about a journal she has been keeping - saying she was "concentrating on the positive rather than negative".
Katie — who has been given extra security by Strictly bosses — suffered horrific injuries in the sulphuric acid attack that left her permanently scarred.
She was left fighting for life after obsessive steroid-fuelled martial arts fan ex Daniel Lynch arranged for Sylvestre to throw the corrosive liquid in March 2008.
In court, Lynch and Sylvestre were told by Judge Nicholas Browne QC they were "the face of pure evil".
Katie had to wear a plastic mask after the 2008 attack and needed 40 operations to treat her burns.
She told Wood Green crown court: “All I’m left with is an empty shell.”
It was revealed in August that the Parole Board had directed the release of Sylvestre after the case was considered at an oral hearing.
Piper later said she was trying to come to terms with the decision — and that she was going through "a really difficult time".
The Parole Board's decision summary said Piper had read statements in person to the panel.
A gushing Parole Board summary said Sylvestre "was drawn into a criminal lifestyle in his teens and was involved with drugs."
It added: "During his time in custody, Mr Sylvestre has actively avoided anti-social behaviour within the prison and has avoided violence, despite being under threat.
"He has behaved well to distance himself from such influences.
"He has repaired his relationship with his family, has gained employment-related skills and improved his education."
And the attacker is said to have "displayed empathy for the victim and expressed remorse and shame for his actions".
He became eligible to be considered for release on April 8 2014 and had a previous review by the Parole Board in 2015.
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He will be forced to keep to a nightly curfew — typically between 11pm and 7am — and can be subjected to random drug tests.
Sources confirmed Sylvestre’s life licence conditions also ban him from contacting Lynch, 39 — who got a minimum 16-year life sentence and is still in prison.
Presenter and former model Katie shared her story about surviving the attack in the documentary Katie: My Beautiful Face.
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