Finally! Mary Konye Found Guilty Of Throwing Acid In The Face Of Naomi Oni

                          
Mary Konye has been found guilty of throwing acid in the face of her friend Naomi Oni after many court proceedings. 

According from the CCTV footage obtained by police after the attack showed Konye in a niqab following her as she left work at the Westfield shopping centre in Stratford at around 11.30pm.

She suffered serious burns to her face and chest, lost her hair and eyelashes, and required skin graft surgery to cover the burns. Miss Oni's mother jumped from her set and appeared jubilant at the verdict. Judge David Radford adjourned sentence until March 7 while psychological reports are prepared.

The childhood friendship torn apart by jealousy, competition and an obsession with looks

Mary Konye was born on 20 February 1992 in Newham, east London. Her father died when she was just two leaving her mother a single parent looking after her only child.

Mary Konye

                               
While her mother went to work Konye was left in the care of a child-minder. When she was seven a family friend moved in to the flat in Canning Town, to help look after her. Konye would refer to the friend as 'Aunty' and she moved in with her to a house in Lawrence Street, Dagenham when she was 17.

By then her mother had re-married and Konye had a difficult relationship with her stepfather. Konye gained 8 GCSEs before studying for A-Levels in Sociology, Media, Business and Psychology at St Angela's Ursuline School, a Catholic secondary school for girls in Forest Gate.

She spent another year at Southgate College doing A-Level retakes before winning a place at the University of Hertfordshire, studied accounting and finance in business.
Konye held down jobs in retail at New Look, Forever 21 and Next while studying. She was one term and an exam away from earning a BA honours degree when she was arrested last April for throwing acid over Naomi Oni, who had been one of her closest friends.

When she first appeared in court last May she applied on bail on the basis she was a regular churchgoer. Miss Oni was less successful in her education and she dropped out of sixth form +20 Miss Oni was less successful in her education and she dropped out of sixth form Naomi Oni was born just nine days earlier than Konye on 11 February 1992 and had a far less turbulent childhood than her friend.
 
They became friends from an early age and Miss Oni, blessed with good looks, was encouraged by Konye to pursue a career in modelling and the fashion industry. Miss Oni was less successful in her education and she dropped out of sixth form.
She found a job at Victoria's Secret lingerie store in Westfield Stratford City and worked there full-time until Christmas 2013 when her hours were cut. She would often be put on late shifts, finishing at 11.30pm at night. The aspiring make-up artist was being chased by several admirers and rowed with Konye about the attention she was getting.

After Miss Oni fell pregnant she confided in Konye that her boyfriend at the time, was not being supportive. Konye told him to provide the support Miss Oni needed. But Miss Oni was angered after learning that her friend had interfered with her relationship and the pair fell out. Six months later they made up, but by then Konye had told college friends at Southgate that she wanted to throw acid over Naomi and that she would wear a niqab to disguise herself.
                            
After becoming friends in year 8 at St Angela's Ursuline School they had a 'typical' relationship during their teenage years. Both admitting during the trial they would regularly fall out but then patch up their differences. Miss Oni had been moved by the story of Katie Piper who was also burnt with acid. She sent links to Konye about Ms Piper and it soon became a point of interest for both girls - one telling the other to check out new pictures of the disfigured model.

It was claimed in court that Miss Oni thought Ms Piper looked even better after the attack and believed her career had taken off following the publicity. Konye tried to use Naomi's obsession with Ms Piper against her. She claimed Miss Oni hatched a plan in which she would fall victim to a copycat attack so she could propel herself to fame and fortune.

Konye tried to convince jurors she dressed up in the niqab and followed her friend to make it look like a random attack.