Man Jailed 14 Years For Spraying Ammonia In Ex-Girlfriend's Eyes & Raping Her

A man who sprayed ammonia in the eyes of his ex-partner and then drove her around for hours prolonging her agony has been given a 14-year sentence.

Matthew Johnson was sentenced at Brighton Crown Court on Tuesday for using a noxious substance to cause grievous bodily harm and sexual assault.

The 26-year-old roofer was also convicted of actual bodily harm and criminal damage for a previous incident in which he attacked the same woman in March 2016.

He was given an extended sentence of 14 years of which the first 10 years will be in custody with the other four years to be spent on prison supervision licence.

Detective constable Duncan Chalmers, of Sussex Police, said: "This was a vicious assault by Johnson on his ex-partner on August 3, 2016.

"He met her in Worthing, told her that he had a knife and ammonia and forced her to drive them both to a remote car park at Steyning Bowl, near Steyning, where he squirted ammonia in her eyes from a plastic sun tan bottle which we later found at the scene, before beating her black and blue and then sexually assaulting her.

"After this ordeal he prolonged her agony by driving her around for several hours before he dropped her off at Worthing Hospital later the same day.

"The victim's eyes have still not fully recovered from the attack even now.

"She has to wear glasses and cannot drive at night."