Train beard fire victim speaks after attacker's conviction

Luke Kennedy, from Barnham, suffered full-thickness burns to his lips, ears and cheeks, and his nasal hair, eyebrows and eyelashes were singed off, after his beard was set on fire.

On Thursday, November 5, Two 14-year-old boys from Worthing, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were acquitted, but jurors found Dean Hardy, 20, from Crawley, guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Aedan Palmer, 19, of Tower Road, Lancing, had already pleaded guilty at a previous hearing. He told the court it was a silly joke that went wrong.

Specialist treatment

All four were cleared of the more serious charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent.

Mr Kennedy, 22, needed emergency treatment and spent two days in a specialist burns unit after he was set alight as he travelled home on the 6.50pm Brighton to Littlehampton service on December 7 last year.

It was as the train approached Durrington, where the four got off, that Palmer put a lighter to Mr Kennedy's beard as he slept.

Mr Kennedy said he felt sick thinking about what happened.

Travel fear

"I have always tried to keep it at the back of my mind, but it's always plagued me," he said.

"I don't like travelling on my own now. I try to get lifts anywhere I can.

"If I have to get the train I will, because I'm too stubborn, I don't want something like this to destroy me.

"The first thing I do when I wake up is stroke my beard. It was distressing, I didn't know what had happened. It was very uncomfortable.

Anxiety

"The past 10 months have been very distressing. I have had a lot of anxiety and depression problems as well as going back to work and people asking me about it.

"It's something I never want to think about, but it will always be there."

During the trial, jurors watched CCTV footage showing the group smiling and laughing as smoke began to billow from Mr Kennedy's beard.

Judge Claudia Ackner described it as a very serious offence and warned Hardy and Palmer they faced a custodial sentence.

Palmer and Hardy will be sentenced at crown court on December 3.

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