Mother Of 6 Blinded In A Horrific Acid Attack Now Lives On The Streets

#1 A MUM-of-six who fell victim to a vicious acid attack on a night out is now living on the streets and sleeping in a car park

Carla Whitlock was blinded in her right eye and left partially sighted in her left and is now homeless having come out of protected accommodation.

The 37-year-old says she can't go to appointments for a number of operations to help heal her sight because she has no home to recover in after the surgery.

Carla suffered extensive burn injuries to her face, neck, arm, and face after the brutal acid attack outside Turtle Bay, a city centre restaurant, in September last year.

#2

After the attack she had a corneal graft in her right eye, a transplant operation which involves removing the central part of the cornea and replacing it with a new one from a donor.

The now homeless mum from Southampton says she feels abandoned by police after leaving protected accommodation and is now sleeping in a pitched tent with her partner Matthew.

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She said: "It's just horrible, I have had to cope and recover while being homeless, I have never felt so desperate.

"I just don't know what to do any more I feel like we are being held down and ignored, I blame the police for not keeping me safe.

"When we were first taken into protection, all the officers assured us that we had nothing to worry about, they would find us a flat and we would be looked after.

"But now it's just an endless cycle of suffering, we're constantly cold and wet and forced into humiliating situations.

"I'm in contact with the police but they have only offered me accommodation without Matthew and I'm not going to leave him - he is the only person I feel safe around and I refuse to abandon him struggling on the streets while I'm safe somewhere."

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Her partner Matthew added: "We love each other and have each other to stay safe.

"The police liaison officer has said there could be somewhere just for Carla but that would leave me homeless and wouldn't resolve the problem.

"We're the only people making each other feel safe and I don't feel like we should have to give that up.

"This is no way to treat the victim of an acid attack, she should be made to feel safe."

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The couple have been referred to the Street Homeless Prevention Team, who have allegedly offered a £600 deposit for accommodation but the pair are struggling to find a landlord willing to help them.

A Hampshire Police spokesman said: "Hampshire Constabulary along with the Street Homeless Prevention Team, Southampton City Council and Portsmouth City Council have been working closely with Carla since her attack to find her safe and clean accommodation.

"We understand she has not accepted the last accommodation she has been offered. We will continue to work with her."

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In November last year Geoffrey Midmore, 26, admitted to the attack on Carla when he appeared at Southampton Crown Court, Hants.

His brother Billy, 22, has denied involvement in the incident and will stand trial next month. Geoffrey is expected to be sentenced after his brother's trial.