Woman lost eye days before fatal ammonia attack

A woman lost an eye in a drugs gang chemical attack days before a man was killed by having ammonia sprayed in his face, a court has heard.

Andrew Foster, 26, suffered a fatal asthma attack after being set upon at his home in Wrekenton, Gateshead, in August, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Four days previously, his killers seriously injured a woman at a house in Jarrow, prosecutors said.

Four men deny offences including murder.

In the second part of his opening speech to jurors, prosecutor Mark McKone KC said the gang, headed by Youssef Wynne, 39, carried out four attacks between 9 and 20 August, the last being the fatal attack on Mr Foster.

Two men were injured in so-called "taxing" raids in South Shields on 9 August and Hebburn on 12 August, Mr McKone said.

At about 18:15 BST on 16 August, two men said to be Mr Wynne's "enforcer" Paul Fawcett and his accomplice John Wandless, both 33, entered a home "uninvited" on Spencer Street in Jarrow.

They were targeting a man who lived there, but when his partner tried to intervene to stop them hitting him with a hammer, she was sprayed in the eye with a chemical, Mr McKone said.

The attackers took a "small amount of cannabis" and fled, and the woman lost her left eye after several operations to save it failed, the court heard.

Mr McKone said Mr Fawcett's "gaunt-looking" features were noted by all the victims of the first three raids.

On 20 August, they targeted Mr Foster, who had got into debt buying drugs and been forced to let Mr Wynne use his Eighton Terrace flat to grow cannabis, Mr McKone said.

At about 23:00, Mr Fawcett and Mr Wandless sprayed Mr Foster in the face with ammonia before stealing his cannabis, the court heard.

Mr McKone said Mr Foster's partner heard him screaming in pain and shouting: "It’s ammonia, I can’t breathe."

Mr Foster collapsed and was taken to Gateshead's Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where he died at about 22:00 on 21 August.

Pathologists said the chemical triggered an asthma attack which led to cardiac arrest and irreversible brain damage, Mr McKone said.

One doctor said it was "likely" Mr Foster suffered from a "mild" asthma, although he had never been diagnosed, Mr McKone said.

The prosecutor said Mr Wynne organised all four attacks and was assisted in planning the one on Mr Foster by Josh Hawthorn, 22.

Mr Fawcett carried out all four attacks and was aided on the last three by Mr Wandless, the court heard.

Mr Wynne had assaulted Mr Foster 11 months previously but the attack was never reported to police, Mr McKone said.

The prosecutor said phone records showed multiple contacts between the alleged gang members, including numerous calls within an hour of Northumbria Police issuing a press release on 22 August announcing Mr Foster's death.

A stolen VW Golf said to have been used by the gang to drive to the last three attacks was found burnt out later that night, the court heard.

Mr Wandless has admitted handling the car and arson.

When they were arrested, Mr Wandless had a bottle of ammonia in a bag and Mr Fawcett had some at his home, although the latter claimed it was for making crack cocaine, the court heard.

Mr McKone told jurors: "All four defendants say they have nothing to do whatsoever with any of these chemical attacks."

The defendants and their charges are:

• Youssef Wynne, 39 and of Wuppertal Court, Jarrow, denies murder, robbery, assault causing actual bodily harm, inflicting grievous bodily harm and two counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent
• Paul Fawcett, 33 and of Balkwell Avenue, North Shields, denies murder, robbery, inflicting grievous bodily harm and two counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent
• John Wandless, 33 and of no fixed abode, denies murder, robbery, inflicting grievous bodily harm and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm but admits handling a stolen VW Golf and arson for destroying the car
• Josh Hawthorn, 22 and of Ashfield, Jarrow, denies murder and robbery

The trial continues.

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