Joanne Rand was hit by acid. Photo / Thames Valley Police
Joanne Rand was hit by acid. Photo / Thames Valley Police
The family of a nurse who died after an acid attack have hit out at her killer's lack of remorse as he was jailed for 17 years in the first case of its kind.
Xeneral Webster was sentenced at Reading Crown Court after admitting the manslaughter of Joanna Rand in what prosecutors say is the first acid killing in the UK.
The 19-year-old pleaded guilty to causing the death of Rand part way through his trial in April, the Daily Telegraph reports.
He had armed himself with a corrosive substance, which was knocked from his hand by another male. Rand was hit with the high-strength sulphuric acid on June 3 last year as she sat on a bench in Frogmoor, High Wycombe.
Sentencing Webster, from Westway, west London, Judge Angela Morris said: "You and your actions bear the responsibility for her [Rand's] tragic demise."
Webster was also given an extended licence period of three years.
After the sentence was read he shouted abuse at the judge from the dock and said "all of you will probably dead by the time I am out of here, f*** you bro".
Prior to his sentencing the hearing was told of the effect Rand's death has had on her family.
Her sisters, Lynn Ryan and Jacqueline Joiner, stood and looked at Webster directly as they told him what he had done to them.
Joiner said: "Xeneral Webster, you killed Jo, you took her away from us, you did this to our family."
She added: "Whatever sentence you get will never be enough to give us justice for the loss of Jo.
"We would hate for this to happen to another family.
Xeneral Webster. Photo / Thames Valley Police
"There has to be some deterrent for these evil acid attacks as people not only can be traumatised and disfigured for life, they can also die.
"Do you feel any remorse for what you did? You certainly seem to have no regard for anyone, and need to be held accountable for your actions on June 3, 2017.
"For the safety of everyone and so you don't do this again, we hope you get locked up for a very long time."
Unable to face the family of his victim, Webster looked away from the sisters as they read their statements to the court.
Rand's daughter Katie Pitwell told Webster in her statement: "You not only destroyed her life, but all of ours too.
She added: "There has to be consequences. I just hope you face up to what you have done and feel some kind of remorse."
The court heard that Rand, a 47-year-old nurse and mother of three, screamed in pain and ran to a nearby branch of KFC to splash water over herself when she was attacked.
"Xeneral Webster now has to face the consequences of his actions, but this will never bring back my mum" - The daughter of Joanne Rand speaks after a man was jailed for the manslaughter of her mother.
She was treated and briefly released from hospital after suffering up to 5 per cent burns on her body.
But she died 11 days later from multiple organ failure after contracting septicaemia due to the burns.
Webster also pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon, namely acid, and affray, the Crown Prosecution Service said.
Rand worked at the Sir Aubrey Ward care home in Marlow and was described as "hard-working and passionate about her job" in a tribute issued by her family in October.
In the tribute, they also said: "Jo will be fondly remembered as a fun-loving, bubbly and caring person. She meant so much to so many and her tragic and sudden death has left everyone who knew her shocked and deeply saddened."
