Two robbers in a gang who laughed as they ran away from their burnt victims have been jailed for a total of 28 years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fhoe73GhMDM&feature=youtu.be

Sadik Kamara, 24, of Booth Road, Silvertown, and Joshua Jordan, 20, of Ruscoe Road, Canning Town, each received extended sentences of 14 years in prison.

Their “horrifying, cruel and barbaric” attacks, said judge Dodd QC, left him satisfied that the pair presented a significant risk to the public of further harm.

A jury at the Old Bailey had taken less than one hour to return unanimous guilty verdicts earlier in October.

The court heard how Kamara, a rapper by the name of Trizzy Trapz, and Jordan travelled from Newham to Hackney to commit the robberies on Friday, March 10.

Both men were part of a gang who scoped out a family-run supermarket in Mare Street, Hackney, earlier that evening.

When the shopkeeper, a woman in her 50s, was alone in the store, the gang struck.

A getaway car and lookout waited nearby as four of the attackers entered wearing masks and gloves.

Without making any demands or giving the victim a chance to respond, Kamara squirted high strength ammonia in her face several times, burning her.

The gang sped off in the vehicle, driving past their next victim just 10 minutes later.

Two members got out at Hassett Road and forced a woman in her late 50s to the floor.

As one pinned her face to the pavement, the other took out a fresh bottle of ammonia. He sprayed the corrosive liquid in her face over and over again – all for her handbag.

As in the first attack, attempts to steal from the victim were only made when she lay on the floor burnt and helpless.

Discarded bottles used in the robberies warned that the contents could cause “severe skin burns and blindness”.

Both victims were rushed to hospital with facial burns, one suffering chemical burns to her mouth.

The two attackers, meanwhile, ran away laughing amongst themselves, said a witness.

Neither victim was left permanently disfigured but, due to physiological trauma, the shopkeeper has given up working in the supermarket.

Karama and Jordan were arrested in raids at their homes in May.

CCTV had identified them as suspects, with papers found in the operation revealing Kamara sought treatment at a London hospital the day after the robberies.

At the hospital, Kamara claimed he accidentally squirted ammonia in his eye while cleaning. He went on to make a full recovery.

Kamara and Jordan were convicted of two counts of applying a corrosive fluid with intent to burn, maim, disfigure or disable or to do some grievous bodily harm; one count of robbery; and, one count of attempted robbery.

Kamara must also pay each victim £1,000.

Investigation lead Det Con Ben Kahane called the pair’s actions “cowardly in the extreme”.

“Five physically strong males preying on lone slightly built women to attack and rob,” he said, adding: “I hope they use the 14 years’ imprisonment that they have received to reflect on this.”