Man ‘blinded’ in acid attack

A YOUNG man is feared blinded in one eye after having acid thrown in his face in a horrific doorstep attack. The 29-year-old was left in agony after a “corrosive” substance was thrown over him at the door of his third-floor flat in Bathgate.

He was taken to St John’s Hospital, where it was thought he would need to undergo plastic surgery amid fears he may be left scarred for life.

Police and paramedics found the man arguing with other people on the doorstep after entering the stairwell of the flat in the town’s Weaver Place.

One eyewitness said: “He had nasty facial injuries. One of his eyes was cloudy and it looked like he might have been blinded.”

Neighbours who saw police vans arriving after hearing a commotion on Wednesday night said the occupants of the flat had only recently moved to the block. CID were today investigating the incident and said they were following a positive line of inquiry.

One resident said: “This is absolutely shocking. This is normally a very quiet area, when you hear things like this it’s frightening.”

Mark Eccles, 36, who lives nearby, said: “It’s one thing using your fists but it’s something else to do something like that to someone. There were rumours for a while about drugs being dealt [in the block].

“I have been here for about ten years. Usually things are quite quiet. You would expect wee things to happen sometimes, but nothing like this.”

Local councillor Jim Walker said police would be working with locals to reassure them.

He said: “It is certainly worrying and I’m sure the local police are doing all they can to make sure the residents are assured that it’s an isolated incident. I’ve heard of nothing like this. I was in that area very recently and there did not seem to be any concerns.”