Acid attacks
Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FOI/26/9843
Version Date: 11/05/2026
The Performance & Analysis Department has provided the following information:
Data Source
Crimes recorded on crime information system - NICHE
Data Processing:
Qliksense Crimes & Outcomes Report
Filtered on Corrosive Substance
Filtered on Crimed Date: 01/01/2023 - 31/12/2025
Caveats/Limitations
No crimes/Cancelled Crimes excluded
Following on from the request regarding acid attacks in D&C (26/9727), can you give me a breakdown of the 91 people apparently attacked - which I understand from your press office also includes a wide range of substances, not just acid, but also bleach, drain cleaners, some household cleaners, etc. which all fall under corrosive substances.
I understand the 91 incidents include attacks on vehicles and property, animals, and people carrying substances, etc. Can you confirm this please/
The table shows the number of offences recorded by Devon and Cornwall police with the Corrosive Substance flag
|
Offence Description |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
Total |
|
Administer poison with intent to endanger life / inflict grievous bodily harm |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Affray |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
Arson with intent to endanger / or reckless as to whether life endangered |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Assault by beating |
1 |
4 |
2 |
7 |
|
Assault occasioning actual bodily harm ABH |
1 |
3 |
1 |
5 |
|
Cause administer poison / noxious thing with intent to injure / aggrieve / annoy |
1 |
8 |
2 |
11 |
|
Cause unnecessary suffering to a protected animal - Animal Welfare Act 2006 |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Common assault (S39) and assault without injury |
1 |
2 |
|
3 |
|
Conspire to murder - potential victim one year of age or older |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Criminal damage Other - including endangering life |
3 |
2 |
6 |
11 |
|
Criminal damage to a dwelling - including endangering life |
2 |
|
|
2 |
|
Criminal damage to a Vehicle - including endangering life |
4 |
7 |
11 |
22 |
|
Cruelty to and neglect of children |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Fear or provocation of violence. Public Order Act 1986 |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
GBH/Wounding with intent on a Constable |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
Have a corrosive substance in a public place |
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Possess indecent photograph / pseudo-photograph of a child |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
Racially or religiously aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Robbery - Personal |
|
|
2 |
2 |
|
Section 18 - grievous bodily harm with intent |
2 |
5 |
3 |
10 |
|
Section 18 - wounding with intent |
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Stalking involving fear of violence |
|
|
2 |
2 |
|
Theft from shops and stalls |
|
|
2 |
2 |
|
Total |
18 |
34 |
39 |
91 |
Could you provide the number of incidents involving violence with injury and whether it was actual acid or another substance
Six of the offences listed in the table above come under the offence group of ‘Violence with Injury’
- Administer poison with intent to endanger life / inflict grievous bodily harm
- Assault occasioning actual bodily harm ABH
- Cause administer poison / noxious thing with intent to injure / aggrieve / annoy
- GBH/Wounding with intent on a Constable
- Section 18 - grievous bodily harm with intent
- Section 18 - wounding with intent
The Summary/MO text of each offence was the reviewed to determine the substance involved.
|
Substance |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
Total |
|
Acidic solution |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
Ammonia |
|
4 |
1 |
5 |
|
Bleach |
|
8 |
3 |
11 |
|
Boiling water and sugar |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
Contents of an icepack |
|
2 |
|
2 |
|
Drain cleaner |
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Hydrochloric Acid |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
Not recorded / unknown |
1 |
3 |
3 |
7 |
|
Vinegar |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
Total |
4 |
18 |
8 |
30 |
Please Note:
We are aware of another offence from 2025 that hasn’t appear in the tables above because the corrosive substance flag was not added on the Niche crime database.
The offence is murder and the substance involved was Sulphuric Acid – see link below:
Plymouth drug dealer attacked with 'strong' acid over debt - BBC News