A father has recounted a harrowing altercation where he was splashed with an unidentified liquid by a stranger outside a pub, resulting in him losing consciousness and fearing for his life.
Adam Tickner, aged 33, has been grappling with severe PTSD since the incident at Ye Arrow in Rochester, Kent, last year. Tickner, a father of two from Sittingbourne, Kent, expressed disappointment after his assailant, Alfie Russell, received a suspended prison sentence for the attack.
Initially charged with GBH, Russell later confessed to ABH, a lesser offense, allowing him to evade incarceration. Tickner, who suffered burns to his face, eyes, mouth, and throat, spent several days hospitalized, with medical professionals warning him of the potential fatal outcome.
The altercation unfolded while Tickner, an assistant headteacher, was enjoying drinks with his wife and friends at Ye Arrow in Rochester. A scuffle erupted when a stranger punched one of Tickner’s friends before turning on Tickner himself, throwing the substance at his face, causing him to lose consciousness.
Despite doctors diagnosing the liquid as corrosive, police downgraded it to hand sanitizer, much to Tickner’s dismay. Russell, hailing from Hornchurch in East London, received a suspended prison sentence, 150 hours of community service, and a compensation order, including payment to Tickner.
Tickner, who was unaware of the sentencing until stumbling upon it online, expressed frustration over the lenient punishment, believing Russell should have been incarcerated given the severity of the attack. Kent Police confirmed that the substance tested at the scene showed no traces of acidic or alkali elements, rendering the victim’s clothing unusable for forensic analysis.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) clarified that charges were amended to ABH and affray due to lack of forensic evidence linking the substance to a specific type. Russell’s guilty plea was based on overwhelming evidence, leading to the revised charges and subsequent sentencing.
The CPS spokesperson acknowledged the distress caused to Tickner and emphasized the gravity of the offense by amending charges to reflect the injuries sustained. The defendant’s admission of guilt was a result of the compelling evidence against him, leading to the finalized charges of ABH and affray.