Thugs jailed for brutal acid attack in street

The youth was attacked by Jordan Kelly and Brooke Brennan as he made his way to a shop.

Brennan barged him before Kelly sprayed a liquid into his face – believed to be ammonia.

As his eyes and face burned from being sprayed with the corrosive alkali, the pair robbed him.

He stumbled into the road, narrowly avoiding being run over, and Kelly demanded his phone, bank card and PIN.

After handing over his belongings and the code to unlock the phone, the victim made his way to neighbour’s house.

The air ambulance was called in to fly him to hospital.

Minutes later, Brennan, 21, tried to use his bank card in an ATM.

She was jailed for three years and four months for her part in the robbery.

Lewes Crown Court heard the pair had a three-year-old son together.

The court heard Kelly, 28, who has a history of robbery with violence, pressed something against his victim as he demanded his wallet and phone.

Daniel Stevenson, prosecuting, said: “Kelly brought his left hand round and squirted liquid into his face.

“He nearly got struck by a car as he ended up in a road.

“Kelly pressed an object against him, he thought it was a knife.”

Kelly and Brennan swapped clothes in an effort to disguise themselves before making unsuccessful attempts to use the bank card at two ATMs.

In a statement described as moving, the victim said every day has been a struggle since the attack.

Mr Stevenson said he had suffered mood swings, had not been able to work and his confidence had been knocked.

“He is scared of something happening to his remaining good eye,” Mr Stevenson said.

“His eye has bled which has scared him.”

The vision in his left eye is severely reduced and he will not recover.

“This is a very serious injury with a long lasting impact,” Mr Stevenson said.

Kelly and Brennan looked around and grinned during the sentencing hearing.

Her Honour Judge Christine Laing QC urged Brennan to take the proceedings more seriously.

Brennan smiled at family members in the public gallery as she was taken down.

“The facts of this case – quite frankly – beggar belief,” the judge said.

“It would have been obvious he had no great wealth on him.

“You robbed him of what he had.”

The bank card was used to pay for goods totalling £11.60 and the pair made three failed attempts to withdraw money.

“In order to get those relatively minor pickings, you squirted him in the face with a corrosive liquid.

“For that you were prepared to cause him utterly devastating injury.

“He has suffered permanent and life-changing injury.”

The attack demonstrated a significant escalation in his offending, the judge told Kelly.

“The casual manner in the use of a weapon which would cause devastating injury, your willingness to resort to that is of grave concern to me.

“You are entrenched in criminality,” the judge said.

She told Kelly: “It is a significant aggravating feature you used the ammonia before demanding the items from him.

“A threat or punch would most likely have achieved your aim.

“The use of that substance caused far more harm than was needed,” Judge Laing said.

Brennan carried on with the robbery after seeing the devastating impact of the liquid sprayed into the victim’s face, the judge said.

“You are only 21 and likely to be somewhat immature with a three-year-old son,” the judge told her.

Both pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

Kelly, who had two previous convictions for robbery and was out on licence when he attacked the victim, was jailed for 12 years with a five-year extended licence for the robbery and two further thefts from an off licence and another shop in Brighton.

He will serve at least eight years in prison.

Brennan was jailed for three years and four months.

The attack happened in Whitehawk Way, Brighton, at around 8pm on March 10.

Kelly, 28, of Lower Chalvington Place, Brighton, and Brennan, 21, of Graffham Close, Brighton, pleaded guilty in April.

Kelly admitted robbery and throwing a corrosive substance with intent.

Brennan admitted robbery.