Katie Piper's acid attacker Stefan Sylvestre set to be released from prison for the second time in two years
The convict who threw acid on model and television presenter Katie Piper has reportedly been cleared for release from prison. The attacker, 31-year-old Stefan Sylvestre, was sentenced to prison for at least six years in 2009 after the horrific attack, and the latest reports state that he is set to be freed soon.
Sylvestre reportedly attacked Piper on behalf of her obsessive ex-boyfriend, David Lynch, 44, who planned the brutal assault to take place outside her home in Golders Green, north London. Lynch was also arrested in the incident and was given two life sentences. He is not eligible for parole until 2025. Sylvester was initially allowed to leave prison in 2018. However, he was re-admitted to prison in November 2019 after a string of car thefts. He is now set to be released again after a parole board agreed on it.
"After considering the circumstances of his offending and time on license, the outcomes of the court proceedings, the progress made while in custody and other evidence, the panel was satisfied Mr Sylvestre was suitable for re-release," the board, in a statement, said, according to the Mirror.
Piper, after the attack, had to wear a mask as she underwent nearly 40 operations to treat the severe burns she suffered. In a victim impact statement, she had said: "When the acid was thrown at me, it felt like I was burning in hell. It was an indescribable, unique, torturous pain. I have lost my future, my career, my spirit, my body, my looks, my dignity — the list goes on. All I am left with is an empty shell. A part of me has died that will never come back. This is worse than death."
Nearly 12 years after the attack, in July 2019, Piper had an additional surgery to cauterize the blood vessels in her left eye. She had detailed the reason behind her surgery, while addressing her Instagram followers: "I had a procedure on my left eye to cauterize the blood vessels in my eye as they are producing too much lipid fats hence the white appearance in my bad eye, making it harder for me to see."
Later that year, in October, she shared a graphic image of the horrific injuries she had sustained after sulphuric acid was thrown on her. She captioned the picture, writing: "I remember when I didn’t want to look at anyone. I remember when I didn’t want anyone to look at me. I remember when I was scared of people, scared of men. I remember when I was scared of the world. I remember when opening up to people and talking about my trauma and psychological damage just wasn’t possible. Today on Mental Health Day my first meeting of the day is with my therapist. I still go, it still helps and I’m able to talk. Hold On Pain Ends."
Piper, however, has thrived ever since and has featured on multiple TV shows, including 'Strictly Come Dancing' and a 2009 documentary about the impact of the attack. Shortly after the assault on her, she launched the Katie Piper Foundation in an effort to help raise awareness for the victims of disfigurement and burn injuries.