Newcastle woman shares mental toll of random chemical attack in her home as a teenager
A woman from Newcastle who was sprayed in the face with a chemical as a teenager says she is still living with the mental scars of the attack.
Shannelle Farrier was 19 and studying at college when she was sprayed with chemicals by a stranger who tried to gain access to her Newcastle flat in December 2022.
While the random attack did not leave any lasting physical damage, she suffered sleepless nights, lived in fear and has never returned to her studies.
She told ITV News Tyne Tees: "With acid attacks, it could harm someone in different ways - leave scars - physical, mental or emotional. It can ruin someone's life."
Shannelle shared the mental toll the incident had on her in an exclusive on-camera interview as four men were sentenced for the ammonia attack murder of Gateshead man Andrew Foster.
CCTV from Northumbria Police shows the moment a chemical was sprayed in Shannelle Farrier's face
Recalling the night of the attack, Shannelle said she and a friend were ordering food in her flat when a stranger knocked at the door asking for a cigarette.
Within moments, two males tried to get into the flat and one squirted a chemical in Shannelle's face.
"That's when I felt burning," she said. "It went in my throat, my airways, my eye - I started screaming.
"I tried to get in the door but because it was in my eye I couldn't open the door properly.
"My friend comes straight away because she hears me screaming."
She continued: "I was screaming 'please help me I'm going to die'."
Shannelle Farrier described her reaction to the random attack on her doorstep
Her friend called the police, ambulance service and fire brigade as Shannelle waited "in shock" and pain.
Once at her flat, paramedics put Shannelle in the shower before rushing her to hospital where her eyes were washed with "gallons and gallons of water".
Shannelle feared she would lose the use of her eye but said no physical mark had been left from the night of the attack.
It nevertheless caused the then teenager to go "very downhill mentally".
She told ITV News Tyne Tees that she lived in fear, could not sleep and dropped out of college.
"I went back for one day after I'd not been there and I just couldn't do it," she continued.
"It was too much me and I ended up quitting the course I'd always wanted to do and I've not been back since."
Attacker David Nicholson was sentenced to 20 months, suspended for two years with rehabilitation requirements and an alcohol abstinence requirement at Newcastle Crown Court in December last year.
Shannelle did not attend the hearings but believes the law needs to get tougher.
She told ITV News Tyne Tees she felt "let down by the system", adding: "Anyone that takes acid, ammonia, anything, they're taking out to harm somebody," she continued.
"They're using it as a weapon. I think they should get what they deserve which is jail time."
Her sentiment is echoed by other victims of chemical attacks, including Andreas Christopheros.
His life was "completely changed" when he was attacked in a case of mistaken identity with a pint of sulphuric acid - on his doorstep - in December 2014.
In the ten years since, Andreas has battled alongside the model Katie Piper for tougher curbs on chemicals and tougher punishments.
He told ITV News Tyne Tees: "Any form of prohibition, which makes it harder for people to get their hands on strong acids or strong alkalines would be some form of deterrent.
"I don't believe it would be the be all and end all, but it certainly would help deter some some of the attacks. These substances shouldn't be easy to get get hands on."
Andreas, from Cornwall, said the "real deterrent" would be tougher sentences and more power for police on the streets.
The Ministry of Justice told ITV News Tyne Tees it was unable to provide a comment.
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