A former English medical student is behind bars after being found guilty of attacking his ex-girlfriend with sulfuric acid while wearing a fat suit and makeup to make himself appear as a Black woman.
In May 2021, Milad Rouf, 25, disguised himself using the suit and makeup, sunglasses, and a hat before traveling to his ex-girlfriend and colleague Rym Alaoui’s home in Brighton, England.
When he arrived, Rouf knocked on her front door, handed her a note, and threw acid in her face, resulting in life-altering injuries for the junior doctor. The attack happened six weeks after Dr. Alaoui ended their relationship.
Authorities’ investigation led them to Rouf’s home where they found a shopping list containing items such as a “fat suit,” “face paint,” “two full head face masks” and a “black morph suit.” Rouf subsequently pleaded guilty to count one of applying a corrosive fluid with intent and was sentenced to 15 years on Oct. 7.
Before sentencing, Judge Christine Laing told Rouf that she hadn’t seen any “real remorse” from him following the incident, which resulted in Alaoui undergoing five reconstructive surgeries, and that she had “no doubt that he was a danger to women.”
“You thought about what you wanted to do and how you were going to do it and planned it over weeks before carrying it out,” Laing said. “You knew full well what you were doing was wrong and you tried to evade responsibility for it to continue to pursue your medical career.”
In her victim statement to the court, Alaoui, who studied medicine with Rouf at Cardiff University, detailed her injuries, both physical and mental, and expressed hurt and confusion over the “premeditated and horrible attack” that has since had a “colossal” effect on every aspect of her life.
“Since the day I was subject to this horrific attack, my life has changed. I live in pain and fear of my future wellbeing and financial hardship. The impact of the attack includes severe damage to my right eye which I am still unable to see out of,” reads the statement.
“Damage to eyelids and damage to skin on face, neck, and arm. I am unable to move my neck and close my eyelids. I have had five surgeries. I’m still trying to come to terms with more procedures and operations. I am unable to attend work or live my life. I have been robbed of years of my career and young adult life.
The psychological effect had been colossal on me, my family, and loved ones. I cannot begin to imagine why somebody would commit such a premeditated and horrible attack. I cannot understand what was in his mind.”
The terms of Rouf’s sentencing entail that he must serve at least two-thirds of his sentence before being considered for parole, and any parole must last at least four years.
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