Home > Assault > Acid Attacker Says He ‘Didn’t Know Sulphuric Acid Would Maim Victim’

Acid Attacker Says He ‘Didn’t Know Sulphuric Acid Would Maim Victim’

March 13, 2012 at 7:24 am by kniption

Brussels, Belgium - Richard Remes, 57, is on trial in a Belgium court for injuries he inflicted on a woman who had recently ended their relationship.

Remes’ victim had been quoted as saying, “I just hope that I get to tell the court what I experienced, and how it hurt.” With Remes’ trial for attempted murder now underway, she finally has her chance and was in court to testify against him.

Patricia Lefranc, 48, told court members that she was, ‘determined to look him in the eye and show the jury what he has done to me’.

According to court documents, on December 1, 2009, Remes was waiting for Lefranc as she exited an elevator in the Brussels suburb of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean. Lefranc told the court that Remes – with whom she had terminated an affair – sprayed sulphuric acid all over her head and upper body. Remes was married with children at the time.

After the attack, Lefranc said she was convinced that she would die, but neighbors heard her screams and managed to get her to a nearby hospital. She remained in a coma for three months.

Lefranc has since undergone 86 operations for the injuries she sustained in the attack. She is not nearly done.

Acid Attacker Says He Didnt Know Sulphuric Acid Would Maim Victim

Patricia Lefranc before and after

“I lost the sight in my left eye, and hearing in an ear – my right ring finger was amputated. By the time I got to my eightieth operation, I stopped counting.” Lefranc said.

Lefranc says that she has about twenty more operations to go – some related to the fact that the acid is still causing her body to break down.

“My nose is quietly shrinking away…” Lefranc described. Lefranc said her son’s school friends now regularly mock her

Remes does not dispute the fact that he disfigured Lefranc and has apologized for the attack. His defense is that he did not realize the sulphuric acid he sprayed ‘would have such a devastating effect.’ Oopsie.

“He did not just want to hurt me, he wanted me out of the way.” Lefranc said in response. “I hope Remes is convicted of attempted murder, and not just for assault and battery with torture.”

Remes’ trial continues.

Tags: acid, Assault, Belgium, Patricia Lefranc, Richard Remes

74 Comments

Comments

V2 Cigs electronic cigarettes - Break Free From The Pack!

The views expressed in the comments are those of the comment writers and don't represent the views or opinions of D'D or its staff. Feel free to flag comments that may violate conditions outlined in our Disclaimer.

Whatevn

I know its been said time in and time out but, you really dont realize your natural beauty until you see someone whos been robbed of theirs.

I wish he could for just a moment feel what she went through…

A very long moment.
malq

Allright! a little foreign crime.

And I thought acid splashing was an Arab practice reserved for unruly wives. There was one a while back where some girl in this state, splashed herself with acid and blamed it on…yup a black man.
This is terrible, he gave her a life sentence, in Belgium, he will probably get a year.
CT

What a total crock of shit – he didn’t know sulfuric acid would maim. OK smart guy — if you are truly that fucking stupid, you should be put away based on the fact you are such a supreme dumb ass. That would make you such a liability to society that we cannot take the chance that you will do something so fucking stupid again.
Sam

It’s a standing joke in Holland, to make fun of how stupid Belgians are – but i really don’t think it’s physically possible to be so stupid that you wouldn’t know what acid does. What did he THINK was going to happen???
How horrible for that poor woman – she was gorgeous. Also i didn’t realise acid could keep melting you even three years after the event. This is one of the cases where a little eye-for-an-eye is well deserved.

Side note: my favourite ‘stupid Belgian’ joke:
“A two-seater Cessna has crashed onto a cemetary in Brussels this morning. Rescue workers have recovered 83 bodies so far, and are still digging up more.”
Cory

This guy is a piece of work who needs to pay for what hes done, I would never go out of the house again if i was her omg
malq

Of course he knew, but if I did it, I would have to have some defense and that is the most plausible one, as ridiculous as it sounds, it is a defense.

Acids can be as weak as vinegar or be 6 mole solutions that will eat skin to the bone in minutes.
I wonder how strong it was and where he got it.
Here in the states, the “strong acids” like Phosphoric, Sulpuric and Hydrochloric are strictly monitored by the DEA, as they are considered components of drug manufacturing. United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 basically says the UN oversees it nationally.
That said it is pretty easy to get for manufacturing and industrial purposes.
malq

This guys inner child is a punk
CT

I did a quick search on eBay and was able to find 96% sulphuric acid from the UK for purchase. Now I have no idea what sort of hoops I would have to jump through to actually purchase it since I tend to stick to buying shoes on eBay but it was an eye opener to see it available at all.

And there is a no returns policy just in case someone gets a hankering to get themselves some.
Sam

Return it? So, what, stand your victim in a drip tray before spraying them?
CT

Then again – can you return anything on eBay? Hmmmm.
JGo555

She had quite the honker before & now she doesn’t.

She ends the relationshi[ even though HE is the one married and SHE ends up a victim? How much do ya’ll wanna bet his ass beats his wife & kids too?

Fuck him & those Swedish candy fish. THey taste gross & look like plastic.
http://justiceforcaylee.synthasite.com/ shyloh

WOW! I honestly don’t know what to say. This is just tragic.
sugarpie

I was having a bad morning, but after seeing this poor woman, guess it could be much worse. I think Mr. Remes needs an acid bath.
oOXColdmoonXOo

I was just trying to help her exfoliate I swear!
JohnQknowitall

I understand his defense and I would probably use it too if I were in his position. He meant to cause her great harm and I honestly believe this guy needs to leave society for as long as the EU permits.
malq

That description is the concentration . A good analogy would be 96% milk. You don’t know if it is 1%, 2% or what. Acids and bases are measured in strength by mol/liter.
Strength and concentration are easily confused, but very different if that makes any sense.
I know this has little to do with anything, i am just feeling chemical this morning and will have no brainpower for anything else today. Like a cheap firework, I am done.
malq

I almost went there with an acidic facial comment, glad I didn’t. Sperm jokes are in poor taste.
malq

Unused buttplugs can be returned
CT

Interesting. I am hoping my only knowledge of acid comes from this lesson.
CT

I imagine that they would have to call them reconditioned like they do other things because its better than saying used.
malq

Like a horny fly, I am only replying to you because I am attracted to your avatar and chemistry seemed like a good icebreaker.
CT

You are killing me today. You are in luck, my dear, my spouse pissed me off this morning. I’m especially vulnerable. Well, as vulnerable as one can be when you are an asshole.
xJustagirlx

Poor girl. Reminds me of Katie Piper. She was featured on 20/20- it’s just heart wrenching. I would highly recommend watching it:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/161966/abc-2020-fri-jul-2-2010
http://www.facebook.com/people/Shannon-Bennett/1803988499 Shannon Bennett

What did he think the outcome was gonna be then?! Nice try.
http://www.dreamindemon.com Count Rackula

If my son was one of those schoolchildren who was mocking her and I found out about it, he would never see technology or fun fun fun on the weekends (or any other time) until he was out of my fucking house. That poor woman has enough to deal with in her life.
DangerousKindOfSnark

One of my clients adopted a girl from India who had acid thrown in her face because she refused a boy. She was 14 years old, her face was ruined. Her parents gave her up for adoption so she could come to the US and get the plastic surgery they couldn’t afford. It’s absolutely heartbreaking that people are capable of something like that.
Valerie

I am watching that right now. I wish there was a way to mark men with violent histories like that. As it is, we will just have to teach our daughters and sons to watch for the warning signs. I was never taught what to look out for and had to learn the hard way. I swear my children will be educated on those things before they date.
LeaveMeBe

Me too. I have learned a lot this morning and will be able to dazzle my friends with more random bits of knowledge.
LeaveMeBe

Horrific pain, in a coma for 3 months, and 86 operations so far with 20 something more to go. Here’s to hoping the jury really sees what this monster for what he is and makes him pay threefold. As for Ms. Lefranc, her strength of will is amazing. Good on her for forcing him to face her and survivng to tell her tale and make him pay.
Andy P

FUCKING OUCH.
girlygerd

man how horrible
Lena60

That poor woman.In cases like this, I think he should get the death penalty.What a truely horrible thing to go through.
Eliza Berntsen

Those that commit crimes like these are the lowest of the low and deserve to have the same done to them. This isn’t telling an ex “Oh, I’ve got AIDS” as a joke when dumped. You do this kind of thing when you want to make sure that the victim NEVER meets anyone else and is forever “owned” by you and has to remember you forever. Fucking evil piece of shit.
Lena60

If he sprayed her with it as aposed to dumping the acid on her, he continued spraying her several times to get this amount of damage done I assume.
Zazen

Now that you mention sperm jokes and poor taste, I will admit I for one am surprised and let down by Pete’s non-performance on this >.>
Evan Oswald

this gawd damn piece of shit! WHO THE FUCK DOES THAT?
LeaveMeBe

If you’d ever tried a sperm joke, you’d know they don’t taste poor.

Sorry, just couldn’t help myself.
malq

Yeah it would have made a great title if he threw in *facial*
newstarshipsmell

This guy should be forced to have sex with a meat grinder.
Lena60

I watched part of it, how sad for this young girl.I wished she would have went to the police right away. This fucktard should have never been let out of prison.
EveryVillainIsLemons

I wish there was a way to mark men with violent histories like that.

With sulfuric acid, perhaps?
EveryVillainIsLemons

That guy needs to pay for every single surgery she has to have, and he should have to compensate her for her pain and suffering.

It’s a shame that the container didn’t explode all over the asshole’s crotch. I wouldn’t shed a tear if he had to piss through a catheter for the rest of his life.
Athena

Way to go for the gusto. And here I was thinking DontDateHimGirl.com was a good place to start.
Athena

I don’t recommend joking about AIDS with a lover. That got a woman shot in the face.
buhbam

Is she…smiling in that second picture? Creeeeeepy! If I were her, I’d totally play up the macabre….waste of time trying to girly up that face now.

Maybe if she hadn’t been screwin on a married man none of this would have happend. What tangled webs we weave…
creamofflicka

So,.. I can’t make the beef jerky joke this time???
Chasity Polston

This is one of those times that I would love to see an eye for an eye. This guy is a jerk
DangerousKindOfSnark

I am a junkie for that site.
LeaveMeBe

I don’t imagine she can really smile or make any expression on her face with all the scarring from that monster trying to melt all her skin and muscle off her face. >:l
kimbev69

Maybe just maybe he tOld her he wasnt married or that he was divorced
Abroad

“She ends the relationship even though HE is the one married and SHE ends up a victim?”

My thought exactly.

Other than that, your comment baffles me: What did Swedish candy fish ever do to you?
Abroad

Richard Remes does that. Clearly.
Califboy

acid bath his balls and asshole.
wyrosjr

You can buy sulfuric acid in any auto parts store. I often recondition batteries and it is part of the process.
wyrosjr

Sad thing about this is that the guy will only get a few years. This is another reason to protect your 2nd amendment rights.
Eliza Berntsen

Oh yeah, I forgot all about that. Although that was an extreme case. Most people would be too mortified to even think of shooting someone.
hershey

She probably found out and that’s why she broke off the relationship. She was clearly much better looking that him. I wonder what she initially found attractive about him?

As for your second paragraph, buhbam, life doesn’t work that way. I’ve seen assholes live a charmed life, while the sweetest people struggle through life or with severe illnesses. Yes, it would be great if ones actions were equal to equivalent punishments, but that’s not how it always works. Furthermore, nothing happened to Mr. Acid and he was the one cheating on his wife, so why is it okay for Ms. Lefranc to suffer so much and not him?
podunkel

Really? What about all those girls in Iraq, India, and other hellholes, who end up the same way because they rejected a guy? He was half of the affair. And like other posters have pointed out, it’s entirely possible he told this woman that he was unmarried.

Regardless of how you try to spin it, this incident was ENTIRELY his own fault. May he go to jail for a long time and get ass raped daily.
Edward Richtofen

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/03/12/article-2113939-12223BCF000005DC-474_306x423.jpg
Edward Richtofen

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/03/12/article-0-12222FDE000005DC-320_634x492.jpg
Grumpy_Bear

And good on her for not giving up. I would have had an “accidental” overdose of pain meds if it was me.
Heather4877

See, now you’re gonna have to keep your criminal activity down to a minimum cause if they go through your computer that search will come up. I HATE that.
JohnQknowitall

I think after his legal bills there might not be anything left.
annagg

That’s right, sperm jokes taste funny.
CT

Damn it. That really puts a damper on my plans for the day.
buhbam

No, she is! She’s smiling with her eyes, you can tell!
buhbam

What about them? Who is talking about any other acid victim than this chick right here?

I’m spinnin and speculating just as much as the other posters…she probably this and maybe that…
LeaveMeBe

Her left eye is glass. Pray tell me how the heck you think she can make that one “smile”.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_R7EKXOMLBJQ6YPSBV42ZCYHQOM Andrea

oh. my. god. This guy should burn alive for this. He can take his bullshit “I’m a dumbshit numbnuts” excuse and ram it up his ass with a handful of rusty nails.
Hellioness

Swedish fish taste like ass. That’s why they did to JGo.
Abroad

She has her children to bring up……

Brave woman.
JamesofAscotVale

Has he been sentenced yet? Astonishing that he appears to be on bail.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000742367993 Snow Horton

He just got 30 years for attempted murder.
Wubbsy

What did he think it would do? Make her giggle with delight?