Arthur Collins trial: TOWIE star Ferne McCann's ex wore 'KILLER' t-shirt as he threw acid on dancefloor, court hears

Accused: Arthur Collins with ex-girlfriend Ferne McCann
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The ex-boyfriend of TOWIE star Ferne McCann wore a t-shirt emblazoned with the word 'KILLER' as he threw acid three times on to the crowded dancefloor of an east London nightclub, a court heard.

Arthur Collins, 25, was caught on CCTV launching the corrosive liquid into a man's face after a minor "flare-up" in the packed club, it is said.

Sixteen people were injured in the alleged attack, at the Wringer and Mangle nightclub in Dalston over the Easter Weekend.

Wood Green crown court heard Collins, whose now-former partner Ms McCann is carrying his child, went to the club on April 17 with friend Andre Phoenix, 21, for an event called Love Juice.

"A popular night at a popular club in east London. It is the Sunday night of the Easter weekend, and people are out and about like it is a Saturday night", said prosecutor Luke Ponte.

Arthur Collins
Metropolitan Police

"The dancefloor is crowded, it's packed. People are enjoying themselves, just like any other club in the country.

"And again, just like anywhere else, a bit of trouble flares up. Nothing much at first, the beginnings of an argument. It doesn’t amount to much, some pushing, some shoving, some young men, some raised voices, but it quickly escalates.

"It is not clear how this trouble started. But it is very clear how it ended - suddenly and decisively, and not at all in keeping with what had gone before.

"One of the young men, perhaps perceiving the threat of a knife, threw a bottle or a container of acid into the face of another young man.

"As that man went down in pain, the aggressor threw acid at them a second time, and then a third time."

Collins, who arrived at the club with Phoenix, could be seen on CCTV wearing the 'KILLER' t-shirt as he entered the dancefloor moments before the alleged acid attack.

Mr Ponte said Collins was the man throwing the acidic liquid, while Phoenix was involved in the argument that led to the attack, just before 1am.

"These two friends came to the club together, armed with acid together, they stayed together, got drunk together, got in a fight together, threw it together, stayed around together and finally left together", he said.

Victims of the alleged attack have been named as Kwami Licorish, Makai Brown, Ruam Mota, Sophie Hall, Phoebe Georgiou, Scarlett Marshall, Tamara-Jane Castle, Jay Lanning, Nadia Pascal, James Bloor, Lauren Trent, Laura Hester, India Rose-Sykes, David Mills, Alex Enever, and Megan Usher.

Collins, from Broxbourne, Herts, and Phoenix, from Tottenham, both deny five counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and 11 charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Collins says he did not know what liquid he was throwing, while Phoenix argues he was not involved in a planned attack.

The trial continues.

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