An Old Malden charged with blinding a Southampton mum with acid has been found guilty, writes Emily Ford.

Jurors in the trial of Billy Midmore have found him guilty of causing GBH with intent.

It comes after a seven day trial where the court heard how Billy, 22, was seen on CCTV footage buying drain cleaner, telling his brother to be quiet in a taxi minutes after the attack, clapping hands with his friend on a train in celebration and travelling with his brother out of Southampton an hour after Carla Whitlock's life was changed forever.

Billy will now wait to be sentenced with his brother Geoffrey Midmore, 26, who pleaded guilty to attacking Carla at the first chance.

It was an attack which saw Carla, 37, blinded in one eye and scarred for life after she walked through Guildhall Square and had One Shot drain cleaner squirted in her face outside of Turtle Bay on September 18 last year.

The trial:

Prosecuting, Kerry Maylin told jurors the attack was a "joint enterprise" between the brothers, who the court heard were substantial drug dealers in the city, transporting up to £4,000 worth of crack cocaine and heroine from London regularly.

Now Billy has been found guilty of the attack which Miss Maylin said was revenge for a robbery.

Jurors were told that the acid attack on the mum of six was a "debt to be paid" and organised by Billy and his brother after she called asking for £100 of drugs and at least two men met Geoffrey and stole £2,000 worth of drug money.

That night Billy sent Carla a text telling her she was dead and he told the court he believed she had set them up.

The next day, Billy and Geoffrey were seen going to Homebase in Millbrook to buy the drain cleaner, containing sulphuric acid, which would later be thrown on Carla, burning her face and blinding her.

The police hunt for the brothers in September 2015:

The jury voted unanimously that Billy Midmore was guilty.

Midmore laughed in the docks as he heard the result before banging on the glass and shouting "oh my god this is a joke."

Judge Peter Ralls QC told the jury: "it's a frightening and appalling crime."

Jurors were told that the acid attack on the mum of six was a "debt to be paid" and organised by Billy and his brother after she called asking for £100 of drugs and at least two men met Geoffrey and stole £2,000 worth of drug money.

That night Billy sent Carla a text telling her she was dead and he told the court he believed she had set them up.

The next day, Billy and Geoffrey were seen going to Homebase in Millbrook to buy the drain cleaner, containing sulphuric acid, which would later be thrown on Carla, burning her face and blinding her.

Geoffrey also sent a text from his phone to a girlfriend on the day of the attack with a picture of the product and the caption "this is the one. Face melter."

Billy had said he had no idea his brother sent this text and that he was innocently buying the drain cleaner to unblock a toilet at a flat they were staying at in Cossack Green.

He said that on the night of the attack he had been with his brother and a group of friends in the park opposite Guildhall Square but then left the group to sell drugs in East Park and said he had no idea of what his brother had been planning.

CCTV footage showed a group making their way past Turtle Bay where the court heard they clashed with Carla and her partner Matthew Wedgner, argued and then Geoffey threw the acid in Carla's face before running off.

Billy has been found guilty of assisting and encouraging his brother by barging Wedgner while his brother argued with Carla and then chasing off the partner so that Geoffrey could attack Carla.

Detective Chief Inspector David Brown from the Western Investigations Team said: “There was an excellent response from members of staff and customers from a local restaurant and passers-by.  They rushed to Carla's side and helped by giving us accounts of what they saw and heard.  I would like to extend my gratitude to them all for their humanity, compassion and their continued support.

“The injuries sustained by Carla as a result of this attack are horrific and will stay with her for the rest of her life.  Carla will now have to rebuild her life and provisions are in place from the wider health and social support networks to help her do that, and we wish her the very best.

“I would like to close by saying that these types of incidents are extremely rare in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and to provide our assurance that we will continue to work to ensure that our county remains a safe place to live, work and visit.”