Jailed for four years following Viewpark acid attack

Viewpark shop staff have been praised for their efforts to help a customer who had acid thrown over him.

Convicted killer Thomas Charnley targeted Daniel Duffy in an aisle of the Scotmid supermarket in Old Edinburgh Road.

The 38-year-old victim suffered blisters and burns to his head and neck, but quick-thinking employees poured water over him and he has avoided permanent scarring.

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Charnley (44) was jailed for four years and five months at the High Court in Glasgow. He admitted assaulting Mr Duffy on April 17 this year.

It is thought the substance used in the attack contained sulphuric acid.

Charnley will be supervised for three years on his release from prison.

Detective Constable Mark Cummings, who was involved in the police investigation, said the consequences could easily have been far worse, not only for Mr Duffy but for other customers in the shop.

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He said: “This was carried out with complete disregard for the victim and anyone else who happened to be nearby and could have been splashed by the acid.

“Mr Duffy was extremely lucky his injuries were not worse and that’s probably down to the quick-thinking of staff. They poured the water from flower tubs on to him in an effort to wash off the acid.

“What happened was bad enough, but when you consider that metal shelves and floor tiles were corroded by the acid, it shows the damage it can do.

“No clear motive for the attack was ever established, but the message must go out that Police Scotland won’t tolerate this kind of behaviour.”

The incident was captured on the shop’s CCTV and this helped police trace Charnley. He has already served a life sentence for murdering a man in a car park in Coatbridge in 1996.