A thug who threw acid over an aspiring model and her cousin as she celebrated her 21st birthday is facing years behind bars.
John Tomlin, 25, hurled the corrosive fluid at Resham Khan and cousin Jameel Muhktar, 37, as they sat in their car at a red traffic light in Beckton, east London.
Tomlin had earlier admitted causing grievous bodily harm to the pair but today, he admitted the more serious charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent on the first day of his trial.
He changed his pleas to guilty before the jury were sworn at Snaresbrook Crown Court.
Resham Khan (left), 21, was with her cousin Jameel Muhktar (right), 37, when the pair were doused with a corrosive liquid in June in East London
Tomlin, who has six teardrops tattooed on his face, could now face the maximum sentence of life imprisonment when he is sentenced in January.
He spoke only to confirm his name and enter his guilty pleas.
Wearing a blue and white t-shirt with blue jogging bottoms, he winked to family members in the public gallery as he entered the dock.
Judge Canavan ordered psychiatric reports be prepared after Tomlin’s ‘somewhat random targeting’ of Ms Khan and Mr Muhktar left them with life changing injuries.
The pair were said to have had ‘no previous dealings’ with their attacker.
‘I’m going to order a report on dangerousness in these circumstances so we are not going to proceed to sentencing this afternoon,’ Judge Canavan said.
The court heard Tomlin has previous convictions for violent crime.
He was convicted of common assault in 2007, robbery in 2008 and assaults on police officers in 2014 and 2016.
Tomlin is thought to have been sectioned several times under the Mental Health Act.
John Tomlin, 25, of Canning Town, is on trial
Judge Canavan also ordered a report on dangerousness and further details of the injuries suffered by Ms Khan and Mr Muhktar.
She said: ‘I also need to know the prognosis of the injuries suffered at the time. This is in no way disrespectful to the victims; they well understand what their injuries are but they might not be able to assist me with what the prognosis is’.
Student Miss Khan, suffered severe life changing facial scarring following the unprovoked attack at 9:13am on Tollgate Road, Beckton, on June 21.
Tomlin targeted Miss Khan through the passenger window before moving round to the drivers side.
He then threw more of the acid at Mr Muhktar.
The two victims tried to drive off, pursued by the attacker before their car crashed into a fence and the man fled the scene.
Mr Muhktar was also badly burned as the liquid was hurled through the car windows left open on a warm summer’s day.
The cousins were left with horrific neck and face injuries and were treated in hospital.
Miss Khan shared these photos last month of her recovery, saying it’s ‘time to stop hiding’
Miss Khan, who studies at Manchester Met university, had a skin graft and her eyesight is permanently damaged.
She had just returned from an exchange year to Cyprus when the attack happened.
She has shared her journey to recovery on a blog, and last month shared a new picture on Twitter.
In one blog post she comments on how she had been ‘too petrified to walk to my local shop’.
She said she has suffered from breakdowns in her road to recovery, adding her voice to petition to strengthen sentences of acid attackers.
‘Not victims, but survivors, gave me so much determination and strength. These women took on the world and its fate, and tackle each day like any other,’ she said.
‘My respect for these woman fuelled anger and disgust. I don’t understand why attackers use acid, but what I do know is that it deserves the harshest punishment.’
Mr Muhktar was so badly burnt he was put in an induced coma.
He was left deaf in one ear, damage to his right eye and extensive burns to his upper body, arms, legs, back, neck and face.
Mr Muhktar displays his injuries after the incident which happened when he was in his car
Mr Mukhtar gave an interview to Channel 4 after the attack and similarly said how he ‘couldn’t be around anybody’.
He said: ‘I’m embarrassed to even talk to people. I don’t go outside anymore I can’t even look at myself in the mirror.’
Police have previously said there is ‘nothing to suggest the attack was racially motivated’.
A motive for the attack is yet to be given in court but Tomlin has been previously sectioned under the Mental Health Act and has been prescribed anti-psychotic medication.
Miss Khan, pictured before (left) and after (right) the attack, has started campaigning for tighter laws to prevent acid attacks
When he first appeared in court in July, he was kept in handcuffs throughout the hearing after prosecutor Alexa Morgan made an application for restraints due to his volatile behaviour while in custody.
She said: ‘There has been application from Serco to keep him in handcuffs.
‘He is very volatile and has been violent in while in custody.’
Tomlin, of Colman Road, Canning Town, admitted two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Judge Sheelagh Canavan ordered psychiatric reports to assess his level of danger to the public and remanded him in custody ahead of sentence on 26 January.