Man faces jail for spraying six people with ‘noxious substance’ in homophobic attack
A man who sprayed six people with a “noxious substance” in a homophobic attack outside a London gay club is expected to face jail.
One victim, Pariche Frith, said he felt like his face was melting, and that he thought he was going to die, when Jonathan Lynn, 31, sprayed him in the face with a substance at the time thought to be bleach, outside Lightbox, a Vauxhall gay club, the Inner London Crown Court heard.
Mr Frith said he started talking to two women, but that Lynn approached him and said the women were with him. After Mr Frith told him he was gay, Lynn responded: “Go away, we don’t like gays.”
The court then heard that Lynn was told by Mr Frith that he could have any woman he wanted, if he wasn’t gay.
Lynn’s reaction was to spray Mr Frith in the face with the liquid, which caused burns, including ulcers on his eyes. The model said he felt like his face had melted, and that he was going to die.
A bystander, as well as two of Mr Frith’s friends were also sprayed with the substance in the attack.
As well as those victims, Lynn also sprayed another man with the substance, which he kept in an Evian water bottle, after he accidentally stood on the perpetrator’s foot.
Prosecutor James Keely said: “The concern is that the gay community is vulnerable, it’s fair to say that such a serious and premeditated attack will no doubt have a detrimental effect on the community and impact the attraction to the area.”
Lynn, who resides in Worcester Park, will be sentenced on Thursday. Having been arrested two days after the incidents, he later pleaded guilty to four counts of Actual Bodily Harm, two counts of common assault, and possession of a weapon for discharge of a noxious liquid.
