A doctor told a court during the trial of an Old Malden man how she tried to save a woman's eyesight as she screamed in agony, after having acid thrown in her face, writes Emily Ford.

Southampton Crown Court heard on March 1, how Carla Whitlock was discovered by a city doctor collapsed on the floor with blisters covering her face, sore and bright red eyes and holes in her jeans and top from corrosive acid.

Jurors heard how Dr Micaela Barradas was walking towards Turtle Bay restaurant on the night of September 18 last year with two friends when she heard a woman screaming.

Dr Barradas said she heard screaming as her and her friends approached the restaurant in Guildhall Square before spotting “two or more men” running away from the scene.

A friend of Geoffrey Midmore, of Old Malden, was also called to give evidence, they told the court she had known Geoffrey for "a couple of years" and was in regular contact with him up to September last year.

Prosecuting, Kerry Maylin read out a selection of messages between the pair starting on September 18 on the messaging service What's App.

One message from Geoffrey Midmore featured an attachment with an image of a box of One Shot drain cleaner, with the caption "This is the one. Face melter."

The messages read in court also revealed that Geoffrey Midmore kept his friend updated about where he was, telling here he was in Basingstoke and then Kent as well as asking her to "keep an eye on the news."

In the trial of Geoffrey's brother, Billy Midmore, Dr Barradas told the court she rushed to Carla after she collapsed to the floor and started trying to ease the pain by throwing buckets of water over the mother’s face.

She said: “She collapsed to the floor clutching her face. That's when I approached and offered my help.

“There was lots of redness and blistering on her face, it was dripping onto her black jeans and turning it white.

"My instinct was to not touch it and not let anyone else.

"She was very distressed. I asked staff from Turtle Bay to just get jugs of water and keep them coming and I tried to reassure the woman and keep her calm.

“My main concern was making sure that she would have her eye sight intact.

"She had a corrosive substance that should be nowhere near eyes thrown in her face and there was significant risk this lady could be rendered blind as a result of the attack."

Dr Barradas' friend Berken Fuat told the court it looked like Carla's "face was melting" when they approached her.

He said: "It smelt like burning skin. Carla was screaming because the water was affecting the pain she said her eyes were burning and her chest she kept calling out for her partner."

Dr Barradas told jurors that Carla's partner Matthew Wedgner had been seen running away from the scene before returning to "cradle" Carla and comfort her.

Surrey Comet:

Carla Whitlock, Billy and Geoffrey Midmore

The court also heard from Gemma Higgins who had been sitting outside Turtle Bay with two friends.

Miss Higgins told the court she had seen a group of at least five men walking towards the square and a male and female later identified as Ms Whitlock and her partner Mr Wedgner walking towards them.

She said that she saw a male from the group push Mr Wedgner and then heard the woman shout "leave us alone."

Miss Higgins told the court: "I saw liquid fly up in the air and land on the floor and heard the woman screaming in agony and shouting 'someone help me' before she came running up to our table asking for help."

The court also heard a statement from Homebase shop manager Luke Harris who was working at the branch in Auckland Road, Millbrook on September 16 when a man he later identified as Billy Midmore entered the shop and asked for help finding a drain cleaner called One Shot.

In his statement he said: "A male approached me and asked me about drain cleaner, he specifically asked me for One Shot and asked if we stocked it and where it would be."

Mr Harris said that he took Billy Midmore to the correct aisle but there was no One Shot in stock and he recommended a HG Drain Cleaner which was "the next best thing."

He said: "He asked what it does, I told him it was just as good as One Shot and instructions were on the back on the box."

Midmore then bought the HG Drain Cleaner and left "seeming satisfied" according to Mr Harris.

Billy Midmore, 22 has denied one charge of causing GBH with intent while his brother, Geoffrey Midmore, 26, has already admitted to the same charge.

It is claimed that the attack was jointly carried out by the two brothers who blamed Ms Whitlock for a drug deal which went wrong.

Billy Midmore, 22, of no fixed abode, denies one count of causing GBH with intent.

The trial continues.