Worcester acid attack: Man 'forced to squirt boy'

The man who squirted acid on a three-year-old boy in a shop says he was forced to do it after being threatened with a "gun", a court has heard.

The boy suffered serious burns to his face and arms at the Home Bargains store in Worcester in July last year.

Adam Cech is one of seven people - including the boy's father - who deny charges relating to the attack.

Mr Cech admitted he splashed the boy but said another defendant showed him a BB gun and made him target the child.

He said he did not know the bottle he was given contained a chemical or acid.

Worcester Crown Court has previously heard the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, screamed "I hurt", over and over again after being attacked on 21 July.

The boy's father, of Wolverhampton but originally from Afghanistan, is accused of enlisting others to carry out the attack after his wife left him, taking the children, in 2016.

Latest news and updates in the West Midlands

Speaking through an interpreter, Mr Cech said he was forced to carry out the attack by Norbert Pulko.

He said Mr Pulko had driven him and Jan Dudi to the store and pulled out a gun.

Mr Pulko "forced" a small bottle he claimed were just drops into his hand as he entered the store and told him "it will not hurt him", the court heard.

Defending Mr Cech, Andrew Copeland said the BB gun had later been recovered in Mr Pulko's bedroom by police.

The trial continues.

The defendants, who deny conspiring to spray sulphuric acid on the boy between 1 June and 22 July with intent to harm, are:

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, and sign up for local news updates direct to your phone.