A THUG who sprayed ‘acid’ in the face of a man before fleeing to Spain has had his jail term increased.

David Hudson, 53, of no fixed address, was originally sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison earlier this year.

But the violent attacker sentence has been increased to 14 years following a hearing at the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentencing scheme.

Hudson first confronted victim James Sanders three days before the break-in, grabbing him, kneeing him in the head and punching him to the ground.

Later the offender followed Mr Sanders - who was walking his dog - and forced his way into a flat in Danbury Close, Leigh, while holding a squeezy bottle and a craft knife.

When the dog bit Hudson on the ankle, Mr Sanders tried to retrieve the dog at which point Hudson squirted liquid in the victim’s face, causing irritation to his eyes and throat.

Following the attack, Hudson fled the country to Spain but resurfaced when he visited the British Consulate in Barcelona on August 16, 2018, claiming he was homeless and wanted to travel back to the UK.

He was arrested at Stansted Airport on his arrival back into the country a week later.

The victim picked him out in an identity procedure as the person who carried out the attack and he was charged with throwing a corrosive fluid with intent to burn, maim, disfigure, disable, or cause grievous bodily harm, aggravated burglary and ABH.

Hudson denied the charges, but was found guilty by a jury in February this year.

He was jailed at Basildon Crown Court by Recorder Jeremy Brier who handed him eight years and nine months for aggravated burglary and six years for throwing a corrosive substance to run concurrently.

Speaking after the appeal hearing, attorney general Geoffrey Cox QC MP said: “While I am relieved the victim did not suffer any permanent physical damage, the fact is that throwing a corrosive substance can cause severe and lifelong injuries.

“The Court of Appeal has rightly increased Hudson’s sentence to reflect this.”