Acid attack in Crawley car park after cinema screening of Straight Outta Compton

Sussex Police are investigating an assault in the car park of the Crawley Leisure Complex, outside Cineworld, in which police said a 27-year-old Surrey man had acid thrown over him.

Police said the attack occurred between 1am and 1.30am on Sunday (August 30). The victim, from Redhill, was taken to the East Surrey Hospital for treatment.

Due to potentially life-changing injuries from the corrosive liquid, he was later transferred to the Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, for specialist care.

It is thought the incident may have started when the victim and another man, 29, also from Redhill, were watching rap movie Straight Outta Compton in the cinema.

The suspected assailants are two white men in their late 20s or early 30s. One had dark short hair and beard wearing a bag across his shoulder, the other was wearing a white/light grey hoody and jeans.

Both were in a dark-coloured Peugeot car.

Detective Sergeant Laura Diamond, of Crawley CID, said: “This was an isolated but nevertheless nasty and unprovoked assault.

“We are keen to speak to anyone who may have seen an altercation either within the cinema or later in the car park outside.”

Information can be emailed on [email protected] or telephoned to 101, quoting serial 120 of 30/08.

Alternatively people can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers without having to leave their names on 0800 555 111.

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