An Afghani man living in the UK has been found guilty of plotting an acid attack on his three-year-old son during a custody battle with the child's mother.
The 40-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his son, has been jailed for 16 years.
The man and five others were all unanimously convicted by a jury of conspiring to throw sulphuric acid with intent to "burn, maim or disfigure" the boy in an attack inside a busy shop in July 2018.
A six-week trial at Worcester Crown Court was told that the youngster, who cannot be identified due to his age, suffered serious injuries to his face and arm at a Home Bargains store in the city.
After the attack he screamed "I hurt" over and over again, jurors heard.
Prosecutors alleged that the father, upset by his wife walking out on him in 2016, enlisted others to attack his son in a bid to win more contact with the child by showing that his mother was unfit to care for him.
Jurors deliberated for nine hours before convicting the father, from Wolverhampton but originally from Afghanistan.
Jurors also convicted co-conspirators Adam Cech, Jan Dudi, Norbert Pulko, Jabar Paktia, and Saied Hussini of plotting to spray sulphuric acid on the boy with intent to cause harm.
They were given jail terms of between 12 and 14 years.
A seventh defendant, Martina Badiova, was cleared of the same charge.
The boy has since made a "good recovery" and is living with his mother.
