'Utterly wicked' schoolgirl, 18, who left love rival scarred for life in acid attack by pouring drain cleaner into the talented musician's viola case is locked up for nearly two years

  • Emily Bowen poured drain cleaner into a viola case owned by Molly Young
  • The 18-year-old admitted carrying out the attack at Knox Academy, Haddington
  • Bowen has now been sentenced to 21 months in prison and banned from contacting the victim

By Alexander Lawrie For The Scottish Daily Mail

Published: 08:27 EDT, 8 August 2017 | Updated: 03:35 EDT, 9 August 2017

A teenager who left another pupil scarred for life after a ‘wicked’ acid attack has been locked up for nearly two years.

Emily Bowen poured drain cleaner containing sulphuric acid into a viola case owned by Molly Young.

As she took the instrument from a shelf, acid poured from the case and the talented musician was left screaming in agony with severe burns on her legs.

Molly Young, above, grabbed her viola case from a shelf, which contained sulphuric acid, and it then poured onto her legs, leaving her with horrific burns
Molly Young

Molly Young, above, grabbed her viola case from a shelf, which contained sulphuric acid, and it then poured onto her legs, leaving her with horrific burns

The incident took place at Knox Academy in Haddington, East Lothian, last year

The incident took place at Knox Academy in Haddington, East Lothian, last year

Bowen, now 18, previously admitted carrying out the attack at Knox Academy in Haddington, East Lothian, on September 29 last year.

She returned to Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday for sentencing with the judge describing the attack as ‘utterly wicked’.

Sheriff Michael O’Grady QC said: ‘In the period leading up to these events you actually researched this topic.

‘You have left a young woman to suffer a terrifying ordeal and she will be physically and mentally scarred for the rest of her life.’

Sheriff O’Grady said that he had no option but for Bowen to be detained for 21 months.

He also banned her from contacting Miss Young after making her the subject of a five-year non-harassment order. The court had previously heard that both girls were acquaintances and members of the school’s orchestra before the incident.

But the ‘talented musicians’ fell out when Miss Young began seeing Bowen’s former boyfriend.

In a planned revenge attack, Bowen bought a bottle of drain cleaner online and hid it in her locker.

Acid attack first aid advice 

From St John Ambulance

Chemical burns

1. Make sure that the area around the casualty is safe. Wear gloves to prevent you coming into contact with the chemical. If the chemical is in powder form, it can be brushed off of the skin.

2. Flood the burn with water for at least 20 minutes to disperse the chemical and stop the burning. Ensure that the water does not collect underneath the casualty.

3. Gently remove any contaminated clothing while flooding the injury.

4. Arrange to send the casualty to hospital. Monitor vital signs, such as breathing, pulse and level of response.

Caution

· Never attempt to neutralise acid or alkali burns unless you are trained to do so

· Do not delay starting treatment by searching for an antidote

Chemical burn to the eye

1. Hold the casualty’s affected eye under gently running cold water for at least ten minutes. Irrigate the eyelid thoroughly both inside and out.

2. Make sure that contaminated water does not splash the uninjured eye

3. Ask the casualty to hold a clean, non-fluffy pad over the injured eye.

4. Arrange to send the casualty to hospital.

Caution

· Do not allow the casualty to touch the injured eye

· Do not forcibly remove a contact lens 

She sneaked into the school’s music room where instruments are stored and poured the drain cleaner into the instrument case.

Prosecutor Aidan Higgins told the court: ‘When the victim went into the strings room she was aware of an eggy smell.

‘She then took down her case and she was immediately aware of red liquid spilling from the bottom of the case and landing on her right leg. She looked down and saw her tights were disintegrating and she was aware of an intense burning on her leg.’

The victim was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and later transferred to St John’s Hospital in Livingston, West Lothian, for plastic surgery.

The court heard the girl suffers psychological problems and has nerve damage as a result of the attack.

Bowen was identified as the culprit after a schoolboy spotted her crouching down inside the deserted music room ten minutes before the incident occurred.

Yesterday, defence solicitor Jim Stephenson told the court that Bowen had recently been diagnosed with autism and was also suffering depression.

He added his young client ‘struggles to deal with things’ but has a ‘supportive family’ and asked for a community order to be imposed so she can be monitored.

But Sheriff O’Grady told Bowen: ‘You should understand there is currently a very real public concern and fear about the emergence of this awful substance. It must be plain to anyone who resorts to acid for whatever purpose the courts will not tolerate its possession or use for any criminal act.

‘It is with considerable regret that I have come to the conclusion that nothing but a custodial sentence is appropriate.’

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