Two jailed following acid attack in Colindale

A man who acted as a getaway driver for a man after a family had acid thrown over them in Colindale has been sentenced.

Jadiel Williams-Douglas – 35 (10.04.88) of Stockingstone Road, Luton, was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment at Aylesbury Crown Court on Monday, 19 February after pleading guilty of three counts of assisting an offender.

Williams-Douglas had driven Denico Raymond to and from an address in Colindale on 12 July 2021 where the attack happened. Raymond – 32 (22.09.91) of Hitchin Road, Luton had been jailed for life with a minimum term of nine years after pleading guilty of two counts and GBH and one count of ABH at Harrow Crown Court on 8 December 2022.

The court heard how Raymond had travelled in a car driven by Williams-Douglas from Luton to the address in Colindale armed with a milk bottle containing sulphuric acid. When a woman answered the knock on her door, Raymond threw the acid at her; it also hit a man and a ten-year-old girl who were inside the address.

Raymond fled and was driven away by Williams-Douglas. All three victims were taken to hospital for treatment to their burns before being discharged following treatment. A number of officers were also treated at the scene for the effects of the substance after attending the address. None of their conditions were serious.

An investigation was immediately launched and following painstaking analysis of CCTV, the route of the car took as it left the scene was identified. Footage showed Raymond going into a shop to purchase water to douse burns he had sustained when he threw the acid.

A PCSO recognised him from the footage and he was subsequently arrested. Items of clothing Raymond wore during the attack were recovered at his address, further linking him to the incident.

Williams-Douglas was identified after being linked to the car the pair had used to flee the scene; he was arrested at his home address.

Detective Inspector Jack Stilwell, who led the investigation, said: “This sentencing comes at the end of a long investigation and I would like to thank the officers who have be involved with the case for their dedication. It also would not have been possible to secure these convictions without the bravery of the victims.

“Neither Raymond or Williams-Douglas ever revealed why they chose to attack this family and we have yet to uncover a link to the address; it may have been a case of mistaken identity but unsurprisingly they have not had the courage to admit this. Although this investigation is over, the victims will live on with the physical and psychological trauma of this horrendous attack.”