A
48-year-old woman has been charged with murder after she poured acid on a man
who was lying in bed in her flat in Westbury Park, Bristol, in September
2015.
Berlinah
Wallace, 48, a fashion student, allegedly poured acid on Mark Van Dongen’s face
and body resulting in his death.
She is
charged with murdering Dongen by leaving him with such catastrophic injuries
that he was granted euthanasia and died in Belgium in January 2017.
Before his
death, Mr. Van Dongen told police that he had awoken at 3am to hear Wallace
laugh and tell him: “If I can’t have you, no-one else can,” then threw the acid
on him.
According
to Wallace, she had phoned Dongen on September 2 and he complained that she was
“stalking” him and told her he would call the police.
The
fashion student admits buying acid on Amazon on September 2 but claims it was
to deal with smelly drains.
Adam
Vaitilingam QC, prosecuting, pointed out to Wallace that she had purchased the
acid on the same day as Mr. Van Dongen told he would call the police.
The court
previously heard a statement from Wallace’s landlord who said she complained of
smelly drains in December 2014 and it had been dealt with.
There were
no further complaints made, the landlord said.
Wallace
told the jury she bought the acid after searching for “drain cleaner” on Amazon
and picking one of the results.
But Mr.
Vaitilingam said internet records deleted from Wallace’s laptop showed she had
actually searched for “sulphuric acid”.
“It was a
long time ago,” Wallace replied. “There was no motive other than what it
was bought for.
Police
found websites relating to acid attack victims, including post-mortem images,
had been deleted from her browsing history.
Giving
evidence-in-chief, Wallace told the jury she picked up a glass and threw its
contents at Mr Van Dongen after he pulled her underwear during an argument.
“I thought
it was water,” Wallace, from South Africa, said.
“I just
wanted him to stop.
“I didn’t
mean to hurt my boy, she said
The
defendant, of Ladysmith Road, Bristol, denies charges of murder and throwing a
corrosive substance with intent. Her trial continues.
-Mirror
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