A DRUG dealer who took part in an acid attack on a teenager in a shop was convicted by a jury after just 18 minutes.

Leban Elmi, 23, of Kirkwood Road, Nunhead, in south east London, was charged with grievous bodily harm with intent following the incident in the North Road Supermarket, in North Road, Westcliff, on June 30.

He denied the charge, although Archie Harding, 19, of Kursaal Way, admitted charges of applying a corrosive fluid, criminal damage and affray, because he was the man who had actually thrown the sulphuric acid.

However, Southend Crown Court heard Elmi was being tried under joint enterprise laws and a jury took just 18 minutes to find him guilty, following a one-and-a-half day trial.

Elmi and Harding had arrived at the shop in a white Mercedes hire car just moments after victim Joe Pathy left his bike outside and walked in.

Elmi got out of the car brandishing a wheel lock while Harding was carrying a bottle of sulphuric acid.

Elmi, who was himself the victim of a shooting near the Malvern flats tower block, off Coleman Street, Southend, on April 18, asked Pathy to come outside.

He told him: “I won’t hurt you, I just want to talk.”

When Pathy refused, Harding moved in and threw acid at his face and neck.

Elmi then swung a wheel lock at his head, but missed.

The 23-year-old claimed he knew nothing about Harding's plan to use acid and said he was "gutted" when he later realised what had happened.

However, Carolyn Gardiner, prosecuting, said this was "implausible" and the jury felt the same way.

Pathy was left needing skin grafts. He did not cooperate with police and did not give evidence at the trial.

Elmi had previously admitted affray and possession of an offensive weapon.

He also admitted possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine after large quantities of the drug were found in his bottom after the shooting.

The jury was not told of these convictions or the shooting incident during the trial.

Elmi was convicted in his absence after refusing to leave his cell.

Harding and Elmi will be sentenced together at a later date.

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TWO thugs brought terror to a convenience store when they launched a sulphuric acid attack on a customer before fleeing as the substance burnt through his clothes and skin, a court heard. 

Leban Elmi, 22, also swung a wheel lock at the 19-year-old’s head in the North Road Supermarket, in North Road, Westcliff, on June 30.

Southend Crown Court heard Elmi, of Kirkwood Road, Nunhead, south east London, denies causing grievous bodily harm with intent but admits affray and possession of an offensive weapon.

Jurors heard his co-defendant, Archie Harding, 19, of Kursaal Way, admitted charges of applying a corrosive fluid, criminal damage and affray, at an earlier hearing.

Carolyn Gardiner, prosecuting, told the court that the targeted attack on victim Joe Pathy took place moments after he entered the shop.

She said: “Leban Elmi had on him a wheel lock. Archie Harding had on him a bottle of sulphuric acid.

“They were looking for Joe Pathy, they knew what they were going to do to him. They were both tooled up.”

The court was played CCTV footage, which showed Elmi asking Pathy to come outside. When he refused, Harding can be seen pushing by him with a grin on his face.

He approaches Pathy, who puts his left arm out to protect himself, before Harding flings the contents of a bottle at his face and neck. 

The acid burnt through his clothes and skin - as well as four cans of lager and other items - leaving him needing skin grafts.

Pathy then tries to hide behind the counter before Elmi swings the wheel lock at his head. Pathy manages to duck.

The pair then flee and Pathy can be seen stripping off his t-shirt and jumper before leaving with a customer who offered to take him to a doctor.

The court also heard from a 17-year-old girl who was one of three females who witnessed the terrifying attack.

She told the court Elmi began to take a “violent tone” after Pathy refused to come outside with him and Harding. He told the pair: “Leave me alone.”

She said: “The black male (Elmi) was the leader. What he said went, because the other guy he was with just followed him in what he said.”

She added: “I was scared because it was coming to the time where there could have been kids in the shop and parents and babies.

“So I feared for everyone else in the shop because there were three guys and four women who were in the middle of it all.”