Ferne McCann's ex-boyfriend Arthur Collins has been given a trial date. The 24-year-old, of Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, is to face trial on 9 October, a judge has ruled. Arthur has been charged in connection with an acid attack that happened over Easter in a nightclub in Dalston, east London. The incident left two partygoers partially blinded and others disfigured.
Arthur, who is the father of Ferne's unborn child, and co-defendant Andre Phoenix appeared via videolink during a preliminary hearing at London's Wood Green Crown Court. Arthur was charged with 14 counts of grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent against four men and ten women, and one count of throwing an acidic liquid with intent to do GBH to multiple people. He simply responded "Yes" at the end of the brief hearing. No pleas were entered. Andre, 21, of Clyde Road, Tottenham, was charged with seven counts of throwing a corrosive fluid with intent to do GBH to three men and four women.
Ferne McCann is expecting her first baby with ex Arthur
Judge Peter Ader told both men: "You have a date for your case now. The trial date, which you will be most interested in, will be the 9th October. In the meantime, your lawyers will come and see you. There will be other hearings, but you will be (attending) via video link." Both men are next scheduled to appear at Wood Green Crown Court on 13 June. They had family members looking on from the public gallery.
"It's been such a stressful, surreal situation to be in," said the 26-year-old
Ferne, who is expecting her first baby, has previously spoken about her "stressful, surreal situation". The pregnant 26-year-old talked to Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on This Morning, saying: "It's been such a stressful, surreal situation to be in. But I'm actually feeling good and positive. Because I'm pregnant, I think that has given me strength and hope to get through this." With tears in her eyes, Ferne added: "This isn't how I imagined my first pregnancy to be. It's not about what happened. It is about this baby. My main… I'm going to be strong, I'm going to try and keep it together. I really don't want to cry. My main concern and priority is the baby."