Judge praises courage of rape and acid attack victim
A JUDGE has commended the courage of a Golders Green TV star after her steroid crazed ex-lover was convicted of raping her after a second trial. On Friday a jury at Wood Green Crown Court found Danny Lynch, 33, guilty of raping the up and coming presenter
A JUDGE has commended the courage of a Golders Green TV star after her steroid crazed ex-lover was convicted of raping her after a second trial.
On Friday a jury at Wood Green Crown Court found Danny Lynch, 33, guilty of raping the up and coming presenter and model in a hotel in March last year.
Lynch had already been found guilty by a jury last October of ordering a horrific acid attack on the 25-year-old woman, five days after raping her.
His friend Stefan Sylvestre, 21, threw a container full of sulphuric acid in her face as she crossed Golders Green Road, leaving her fighting for her life and permanently scarred.
At the end of the two week trial Judge Anna Guggenheim praised the victim who must remain anonymous under law. She said: "It must have been an immense effort and a matter of sheer endurance for the victim to give evidence twice given her condition. She showed immense courage and determination."
The jury took seven and a half hours to convict Lynch at a second attempt after a previous jury failed to reach a verdict on the count of rape at the trial last year.
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The court heard how steroid fuelled Lynch, a self proclaimed martial arts expert, had first contact the victim through social networking site Facebook.
They first met in person on March 17, 2008. Ten days later they went to the Ramada Hotel in Bayswater.
The court heard how after a brief row Lynch threw the model against the bedroom door, leaving her with a deep gash to the head.
With blood pouring from the wound he ordered her to take her clothes off before raping her. The court heard how Lynch pulled out a razor blade threatening to 'make her ugly' and made a noose out of his belt, saying he was going to hang her.
Giving evidence the victim said: "I was so worried because he had already split my head open and now he was doing this. I lay there thinking I was going to die."
After realising he had lost his 'princess' Lynch ordered his friend Stefan Sylvestre to carry out the acid attack.
After the attack the model was left in a coma and has had dozens of operations and skin grafts. Her treatment is likely to go on for the rest of her life.
Judge Guggenheim said Lynch, who left the dock after the majority verdict (11 to one) was read out, will face an indefinite spell behind bars.
After the trial a statement from the victim's family read: "We are delighted with the result and we are happy justice has finally come for our daughter. We are also pleased that Danny is looking at a very long jail sentence and he will never be in a position that he can harm a woman the way our daughter has been harmed."
Both Lynch and Sylvestre will be sentenced next month.
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