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Acid attackers to be subject to ‘two strikes’ rule

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Becky Kells, Editor, AllAboutLaw

Individuals carrying acidic substances will be subject to a ‘two strikes’ rule, where if they are caught with a corrosive substance on more than one occasion they will receive a six-month custodial sentence.

The government proposal comes after a series of well-documented incidents of acid throwing. This year, Jameel Muhktar and Resham Khan had a corrosive substance thrown on them in an instance of hate crime, and five acid attacks were carried out in the space of 90 minutes in East London. Across the country, the crime appears to be on the rise - the number of attacks from 2015 to 2016 increased dramatically.

The new proposal echoes the procedure in which someone caught with a knife twice is given a custodial sentence. At the moment, prosecutors are treating corrosive substances as offensive weapons, until further legislation is passed.  

In August, AllAboutLaw explored the rise in acid attacks in the UK and the consequences for victims. The debate as to how acid attacks should be prevented continues.

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