A teenager who carried out an acid attack which left her victim permanently scarred is being released from prison after five months.
Eighteen-year-old Emily Bowen was given a 21-month sentence in August last year after the attack on Molly Young, then 17, with drain cleaner containing sulphuric acid but is now due to be released after serving just five months, the Daily Record reports.
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She was left with agonising burns, which she likened to 'burns like a blowtorch' after the corrosive liquid splashed from the case and onto her legs.
The Scottish Prison Service had written to Molly to tell her that Bowen was being released. According to the paper, as a condition of her early release Bowen will have a 'home detention curfew', which will restrict her and her movements.
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A source close to the family of the victim told the paper: "She is still affected by what happened and hasn't received any sort of apology from Bowen.
"The letter informing her of the release didn't come as a surprise. The family had been warned Bowen would be released earlier than they would like.
"There's been a rise in acid attacks and the soft sentence was difficult to accept.
"Bowen's early release is hard to comprehend but there's nothing anyone can do about it."
Bowen, from Haddington, admitted to carrying out the attack while in court last September.
Sheriff Michael O'Grady QC said: "In the period leading up to these events you actually researched this topic.
"You have left a young woman to suffer a terrifying ordeal and she will be physically and mentally scarred for the rest of her life."
Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Liam Kerr, told the Daily Record: "This was a horrible attack and it was only right that the perpetrator was put behind bars. But many Scots will be struggling to understand why she's already out of jail."
In October last year, Home Secretary Amber Rudd announced plans to introduce the ban of sales of corrosive substances to under-18s after a number of horrific acid attacks across the UK.
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Source: Daily Record
Featured Image Credit:Topics: UK News, acid attack, Scotland