Trick or treater dressed as ghost 'threw corrosive substance' at man who answered door, police say

Investigators call attack 'worrying'

The attacker threw two cups of liquid over the victim., police said. (Getty Images)

A man has suffered burns to his face and feet when he had a corrosive liquid thrown at him by someone dressed as a ghost trick-or-treating at his home.

The victim, a man aged in his 30s, had answered the door at his home in High Wycombe, at 7.45pm on Halloween when he was attacked by the person in fancy dress.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: "He answered the door and there was someone dressed as a ghost, in a white sheet with eye holes cut out. The victim assumed the person was a trick-or-treater for Halloween, but the offender then threw two cups of liquid over the victim.

"The liquid was pink in colour, and has been confirmed as high strength corrosive substance. The victim sustained burns to his face and feet, and was treated at Wycombe General Hospital but has since been discharged."

Detective Sergeant David Mitchell said: "This is a worrying attack involving a liquid, which has been established by our colleagues at Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service as a high-strength corrosive substance."

Police did not say whether the substance was acid.

In March it was defined as a “highly dangerous weapon” for the first time, in guidelines published by the Sentencing Council.

Allowing judges to impose harsher punishments on anyone found to be carrying it in public, adults convicted of carrying a corrosive substance in public for a second time will be given a minimum six-month jail term, and under-18s handed a four-month detention and training order.

The guidelines, which match those already in place for knives, impose the same minimum sentences for anyone convicted of threatening someone with acid or other offensive weapons.

They define an offensive weapon as “any article made or adapted for causing injury… Or intended for such use”, while a highly dangerous weapon can include corrosive substances whose risk goes “substantially above and beyond”.

The Sentencing Council said at the time: “The court must determine whether the weapon is highly dangerous on the facts and circumstances of the case."