Community news. A student accused of throwing acid over her friend today broke down in tears as she strenuously denied carrying out the alleged attack in court.
Acid attack victim Naomi Oni after attack.Photo courtesy http://www.barkinganddagenhampost.co.uk
Mary Konye, 21, claimed childhood friend Naomi Oni had dropped her in it by denying they had plotted to fake an acid attack for fame and fortune.
Taking the witness stand she even accused Ms Oni, also 21, of being “promiscuous” and of “sleeping with men for money” under cross-examination at Snaresbrook Crown Court.
Konye denies throwing concentrated sulphuric acid over Ms Oni in an attack in the early hours of December 30 along Lodge Avenue, Dagenham.
Accused by prosecutor Gareth Patterson of being somebody who lies when it suits them, Konye broke down and sobbed before saying: “She left me in here.
“I never imagined I would be here my whole entire life. We planned it together and she left me here.”
She added: “Naomi wanted the publicity, because that was the whole point of what we planned, so that she could gain the publicity as well as the money that comes with media attention.”
She also claimed Naomi had seen the story of model Katie Piper, who was disfigured in an acid attack in 2008, as “an opportunity to be successful”.
University business and finance student Konye said the pair had spoken to each other a few days before the incident and that Ms Oni had signalled to her on the day it was going ahead as she followed her in the veil.
“I was expecting to hear the scream because that was part of the plan,” she said. “At that point I didn’t think she had thrown it [the acid] on herself.”
Messaging each other in the days and months that followed, Konye said Ms Oni had told her that “things had not gone as planned”.
The clothes store worker said she first saw Ms Oni’s injuries after attending her birthday party.
“When I saw her I was so shocked I remember bursting into tears because the injuries had far exceeded what we had planned.”
She said she hadn’t asked Victoria’s Secret shop assistant Ms Oni for her “cut” of the money generated by press interest in the alleged attack because she felt sorry for her.
She also claimed not to have known Ms Oni had given her name to police and denied making threats to throw acid over her.
Konye, of Throckmorton Road, Canning Town, denies the charge of applying corrosive fluid with intent to disfigure, maim or cause grievous bodily harm.
The trial continues. Article courtesy www.barkinganddagenhampost.co.uk written by Freddy Mayhew, Reporter
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