Joanne Rand acid attack death: Teenager jailed for 17 years

A remorseless killer who was found guilty of the first acid attack death in the UK hurled abuse at the court as he was jailed for manslaughter, today, shouting ‘f*** you bro’ at the judge.

Xeneral Webster, 19, pleaded guilty to causing the death of Joanne Rand part way through his trial in April at Reading Crown Court. 

He admitted killing the dementia nurse by splashing her from head to toe in acid during a fight with another man in Frogmoor, High Wycombe on June 3 last year.

But as the length of his prison term was read out, he shouted at the judge: ‘All of you will probably dead by the time I am out of here, f*** you bro’.

Ms Rand was sitting alone on a bench after visiting her daughter’s grave.

Webster was arguing with a man nearby when he took a bottle of acid from his bag. It was knocked out of Webster’s hand and splashed Ms Rand from head to toe. 

The nurse died eleven days later from multiple organ failure after contracting septicaemia due to the burns.

Ms Rand was sitting on a bench when the bottle of acid was flung in her direction. She fled for help but died eleven days later

The two men were caught arguing on CCTV before the bottle of acid was knocked out of Webster's hand

The two men were caught arguing on CCTV before the bottle of acid was knocked out of Webster’s hand

Today, Ms Rand’s family faced her killer in court.

Her sisters, Lynn Ryan and Jacqueline Joiner, stood and looked at Webster directly as they told him what he had done to them.

Ms Joiner said: ‘Xeneral Webster, you killed Jo, you took her away from us, you did this to our family.’

She added: ‘Whatever sentence you get will never be enough to give us justice for the loss of Jo.

‘We would hate for this to happen to another family.

‘There has to be some deterrent for these evil acid attacks as people not only can be traumatised and disfigured for life, they can also die.

‘Do you feel any remorse for what you did? You certainly seem to have no regard for anyone, and need to be held accountable for your actions on June 3, 2017.

‘For the safety of everyone and so you don’t do this again, we hope you get locked up for a very long time.’

Unable to face the family of his victim, Webster looked away from the sisters as they read their statements to the court.     

Xeneral Webster, 19, was jailed for seventeen years

Joanne Rand died after being hit with acid on a bench in High Wycombe

Xeneral Webster (left) showed no remorse as he was jailed for killing Joanne Rand (right) from High Wycombe. Her daughter Katie Pitwell faced him in court today

This photo issued by Thames Valley Police show Webster riding away from the scene of the attack, carrying a bottle of acid

This photo issued by Thames Valley Police show Webster riding away from the scene of the attack, carrying a bottle of acid

Joanne Rand showing the injuries to her face

Ms Rand, pictured, died from blood poisoning 11 days after running screaming in pain to a nearby KFC restaurant to cover herself in water

Joanne Rand, left, showing her injuries, and right, before the attack, died from blood poisoning 11 days after running screaming in pain to a nearby KFC restaurant to cover herself in water

Speaking after his sentencing, Ms Rand’s eighteen-year-old daughter Katie Pitwell said sentencing should be even tougher for anyone who buys acid. 

‘He knew how much it could hurt someone and yet he used the stronger acid anyway to hurt someone else,’ said Miss Pitwell, from High Wycombe.

‘He went out with the intention of hurting someone and it’s an innocent person that got hurt in this situation.

‘People need to know that, if they’re carrying that type of stuff, it’s going to hurt someone or kill someone.’ 

She added in court: ‘You not only destroyed her life, but all of ours too.’

Webster had armed himself with the corrosive substance which was knocked from his hand by a man who he was in a dispute with over a bicycle.

The court was told that Ms Rand screamed in pain and ran to a nearby branch of KFC to splash water over herself. 

Webster was later seen on CCTV riding away from the scene of the attack, carrying a bottle of acid.

She was treated and briefly released from hospital after suffering up to 5 per cent burns on her body.

Judge Morris said she had concluded that Webster posed a risk to the public and as well as 17 years in custody gave him an extended licence period of three years.

Talking about Ms Rand she continued: ‘The cost of your actions were incalculable and irreparable for her family and friends and there is no sentence which this court can pass which can replace the value of her life.’ 

The family of Joanne Rand pictured leaving the crown court in Reading after Xeneral Webster was jailed for 17 years. The brave sisters and daughter of Ms Rand faced her killer in court

The family of Joanne Rand pictured leaving the crown court in Reading after Xeneral Webster was jailed for 17 years. The brave sisters and daughter of Ms Rand faced her killer in court

The jury heard that it was not the first time Webster had armed himself with the corrosive liquid and that he himself had been left scarred by an acid being thrown over him

The jury heard that it was not the first time Webster had armed himself with the corrosive liquid and that he himself had been left scarred by an acid being thrown over him

Katie Pitwell (right) was devastated when her mother Joanne Rand (left) was killed 

Katie Pitwell (right) was devastated when her mother Joanne Rand (left) was killed 

Katie Pitwell told Xeneral Webster he destroyed her life by killing her mother. She has also called for tougher sentencing for acid carriers 

Katie Pitwell told Xeneral Webster he destroyed her life by killing her mother. She has also called for tougher sentencing for acid carriers 

Katie Pitwell and her mother Joanne (right). Katie, 18, bravely addressed her mother's killer in court 

Katie Pitwell and her mother Joanne (right). Katie, 18, bravely addressed her mother’s killer in court 

Katie Pitwell (centre) the daughter of acid attack victim Joanne Rand with Joanne's sisters Lynn Ryan (left) and Jacqueline Joiner spoke at Thames Valley Police headquarters in Oxfordshire

Katie Pitwell (centre) the daughter of acid attack victim Joanne Rand with Joanne’s sisters Lynn Ryan (left) and Jacqueline Joiner spoke at Thames Valley Police headquarters in Oxfordshire

Webster was also sentenced for two counts of possessing an offensive weapon, namely a samurai sword and ammonia, and criminal damage, and making threats to kill relating to a separate incident to which he pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.   

Ms Rand worked at the Sir Aubrey Ward care home in Marlow and was described as ‘hard-working and passionate about her job’ in a tribute issued by her family in October.

In the tribute, they also said: ‘Jo will be fondly remembered as a fun-loving, bubbly and caring person. She meant so much to so many and her tragic and sudden death has left everyone who knew her shocked and deeply saddened.’

She was born in County Durham, the youngest of five sisters, and grew up in High Wycombe, where she lived for the rest of her life. 

The trial heard on the day of the attack Webster had travelled to High Wycombe to seek out and confront over a drugs dispute with Saqib Hussain.

Ms Rand was hit with the high-strength sulphuric acid on June 3 last year

Ms Rand was hit with the high-strength sulphuric acid on June 3 last year as she sat on a bench in Frogmoor, High Wycombe

Ms Rand was hit with the high-strength sulphuric acid on June 3 last year as she sat on a bench in Frogmoor, High Wycombe

On finding Mr Hussain, the jury was told the acid bottle was taken out of a satchel slung around Webster’s chest with the lid already having been removed, before he pointed it in the intended victim’s direction. 

Mr Hussain then knocked it out of Webster’s hand and it was kicked away.

The jury heard that nurse Rand was sitting on a bench after visiting the grave of her daughter who died in a car accident, when the maximum strength chemical ammonia was splashed onto her hair, face, arms and feet. 

She was sat more than 40ft away from the melee.

Ms Rand died in a specialist burns unit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital 11 days after the incident.

Alison Hunter QC, prosecuting, told the trial: ‘Joanne Rand was sitting at a bench at about 4.30pm to 4.45pm when she felt something hit her on her right shin.

‘She saw a white bottle holding a yellow liquid. Her hair was wet and her face was burning. She then ran into the KFC restaurant behind her and doused herself with water before calling 999.

‘An ambulance was called by the police operator. She had already removed the clothing on her lower body and paramedics then arrived to help her remove the rest.’

Miss Hunter added: ‘Dr Tina Lovelock confirmed the PH of the Sulphuric Acid was minus two. This is typical of a very strong acid, very corrosive and can cause severe progressive burns to the skin.

Katie Pitwell (centre) the daughter of acid attack victim Joanne Rand with Joanne’s sisters Lynn Ryan (left) and Jacqueline Joiner

‘Mrs Rand’s trousers and blouse showed significant damage, with white stains across the front and a number of rips and holes.’

A statement was then read in court on behalf of plastic surgeon Colin Raynor by Miss Hunter. It said: ‘The injuries were particularly to the right side of her face with widespread wounds.

‘The pattern of injuries suggests a serious amount of acid hit her in the right cheek. The acid bottle must have struck her at considerable force to knock the amount of acid out that had caused this amount of injury.

‘Once acid makes contact with the skin it sticks to it, no force is necessary to make it penetrate further.’

The jury heard that it was not the first time Webster had armed himself with the corrosive liquid and that he himself had been left scarred by an acid being thrown over him. 



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