Medical student disguised himself in ‘fat suit’ before throwing acid over ex-girlfriend

A medical student who disguised himself by wearing a “fat suit” before throwing acid over his ex-girlfriend leaving her with life-changing injuries has been jailed a total of 15 years.

Milad Rouf turned up at junior doctor Dr Rym Alaoui's front door wearing a heavily padded "fat suit", sunglasses and a visor.

The 25-year-old defendant was wearing the costume designed to make him look like a black woman of a large build.

When the 24-year-old victim opened the door just after 4pm, Rouf threw acid over her face, neck and chest, police said.

He handed her a note that appeared to threaten her former flatmate and as she bent down to read it he threw sulphuric acid over her and ran from the scene in Brighton, East Sussex.

Following a search of Rouf's flat in Cardiff officers found a thorough “shopping list” detailing his disguise for the attack on May 20.

Rouf's planned his attack was carried out weeks after the woman ended their short relationship and moved to Brighton from Cardiff in April.

Rouf was tracked down through CCTV

Witnesses described the suspect as a black woman wearing a black jacket and a clear Covid visor, Sussex Police said.

Officers searched Rouf's home and found a hand-written list in his bedside drawer titled "costume 1" and listed a sting of items - the majority of which matched equipment and clothing worn by the suspect at the time of the attack.

Despite his efforts to hide his identity, Rouf was tracked down by police through CCTV of him moving across the seaside city.

At Lewes Crown Court Rouf was jailed for 11 years with four years on an extended licence as a dangerous offender added to the sentence.

In a statement read to the court, Dr Alaoui described how she can still not see out of her right eye and is unable to move her neck or close her eyelids properly.

She said: "Since the day I was subject to this horrific attack, my life has changed tremendously whereby I live in constant physical and psychological pain, fear of my future wellbeing, and socioeconomic hardship.

"I have suffered substantial physical injuries as a result of this attack. The impacts include severe damage to my right eye - which I am still unable to see out of - damage to my eyelids and the skin of my face, neck, chest and arm. I am unable to fully move my neck or close my eyelids."

‘I have been robbed of years of my career and young adult life’

Dr Alaoui also went on to say how she can no longer lead a normal life and will be left with life-changing injuries.

She added: "So far, I have had five painful, life and appearance-altering surgeries. I am still trying to come to terms with the fact that my life, for the foreseeable future, will involve more hospital appointments, procedures and operations.

"Prior to this attack, I was working as a junior doctor and living independently. Now I am unable to attend work or live my life as normal. I have been robbed of years of my career and young adult life.

"The psychological effect of this attack has been colossal on me, my family and loved ones. I cannot begin to imagine how or why someone could commit such a horrible, premeditated act. It is impossible to fathom, find peace with, or justify what was going on in his mind.

"I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the first responders, the detectives and the healthcare staff involved since the moment I was attacked, as well as my loved ones who have supported me and continued to show me love and care through this life changing assault."

To track Rouf down, officers trawled Brighton's CCTV cameras to trace the suspect’s movements and he was seen heading down the steps to the east of Brighton Pier.

Doorbell footage showed him wearing a black jacket, white trainers, blue jeans and carrying a blue backpack walking past before the attack and then fleeing the scene after the attack.

He was then seen changing for around five minutes before re-emerging looking of smaller build, carrying a large white bag and wearing a beanie hat and glasses.

The suspect dumped the white bag in a bin on the seafront and walked around the city, stopping at various other bins along the way, before heading to a Primark store to buy a sweatshirt, blue jacket with white detail and a cream backpack.

Rouf then put the clothes on in the store and then leave, returning twice more to buy sunglasses and an LA baseball cap.

He returned to the seafront and asked a security guard what time the bins are emptied, as he believe he had accidentally thrown away a phone.

Rouf then retrieved a mobile phone from a pair of jeans in a bin, before leaving the area and heading towards Brighton Railway Station where he got on a train for London Victoria.

Rouf was identified from CCTV images after disposing of his disguise and from descriptions provided by witnesses, according to Sussex Police.

‘Premeditated, malicious and harrowing incident’

He was arrested at his home address in Cardiff, where a blue jacket matching the one purchased by the suspect in Primark was found. A raid in Cardiff uncovered the LA baseball cap and the cream backpack.

Police discovered he arrived in the city by train the morning of the attack and he was seen on CCTV wearing an orange hooded jumper, blue jeans, white trainers and black face mask, carrying a blue backpack.

He was seen lingering around one street for much of the morning, sometimes drawing on a notepad.

Rouf was also seen in a Sainsbury’s where he bought a fruit salad – this was later found at the scene of the attack in Steine Gardens.

When he was quizzed by detectives, Rouf gave a prepared statement following his arrest, in which he wrote: “I totally deny any involvement in this horrific offence.”

But he later admitted one charge of causing a dangerous, noxious thing to be received with intent to burn, maim, disfigure or disable, to do grievous bodily harm when he appeared for a plea hearing at Lewes Crown Court in August.

After the hearing, Investigating officer Rose Horan of Sussex Police, said: “This was a premeditated, malicious and harrowing incident and I’d like to thank the victim for showing such incredible bravery and dignity throughout. She has been inspirational, and we continue to support her during this difficult time.

“The evidence we were able to uncover in this case showed that Rouf spent considerable time planning this calculated attack.

"He changed his entire appearance in a convoluted attempt to get away with this cruel act. He wore padding under his clothing to appear as a large build female, made his skin look darker, wore a wig and even disguised his motive with the debt note he threw at his victim."