This is the chilling moment when armed police apprehended an acid attacker in the back of a taxi, only to discover he was carrying more acid. Gilson Martins, 23, was sentenced to over eight years in prison for hurling acid at a teenager's face. Earlier that day, he had bragged about his plans by pouring the substance onto a piece of paper and declaring: "Imagine that on his skin? It's going to melt his face off."

The 16 year old victim was left with permanent scars. After the attack, Joanne Edwards, 45, who is awaiting trial as a co-defendant, picked him up and drove him away from the scene on Brandon Road. Hours later, he gloated that it had 'gone down a treat'.

Martins then tracked down the 21 year old son of Edwards, who had overheard his plans to assault the boy, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Minshull Street Crown Court heard how he kicked in the back door of the man's house while the man barricaded himself in his bedroom. Martins threatened to stab him and throw acid on him before stating he would 'carve his name into him'. Sentencing him, Recorder David Temkin KC said: "This is an extremely serious case resulting in an attack on a 16-year-old boy in revenge."

Initially, Martins claimed the boy was armed with a knife, but this was rejected by both the prosecutors and the judge. He has since admitted that this was not true, the court heard.

"This was an unprovoked, planned, targeted attack on a young man who was not carrying a knife," the judge stated. Martins was apprehended on April 11 of the previous year, with Greater Manchester Police releasing body cam footage of the arrest. The video shows a dark grey taxi being halted and encircled by several unmarked police vehicles.

Officers in plain clothes, all donning gas masks, open the rear passenger door and forcefully pull Martins out, promptly handcuffing him. In another segment of the footage, an officer is seen questioning Martins at the roadside, asking: "Is there anything now that can hurt us? Do you understand what I mean?" to which Martins responds softly: "Yeah yeah yeah." The officer continues, urging Martins to be honest, but is interrupted by Martins' repeated affirmation: "Yeah yeah."

The same officer then requests his colleague to conduct a thorough search on Martins due to a potential threat. As Martins is being led into the back of a police van, the officer informs: "He has been properly searched but there is acid in the back, he's been in the back of a taxi. There is acid in the back of the taxi."

Upon searching, officers discovered another bottle of acid, 30 packets of heroin and cocaine, a bag of cannabis, two mobile phones, a balaclava, and cash. Martins, a resident of Ashton Street, Rochdale, was subsequently sentenced to eight years and two months in prison for robbery, possession of a corrosive substance twice, intimidation, and drug-related offences.

Edwards, from Dartmouth Crescent in Stockport, received a community order, was mandated to complete 15 days of rehabilitation activities, and is to undergo a nine-month drug programme. She had earlier admitted to assisting an offender by driving Martins away from the crime scene. Detective Constable Heather Parke of GMP's Stockport district commented: "The effects of attacks involving corrosive substances are well-known, and can result in severe, life-changing injuries or even death.

"Using them in attacks is utterly vile and I am glad Martins is now behind bars for his vicious assault. His victim received injuries from which he is still suffering, and has already received numerous treatments. We have zero tolerance for these sort of crimes, and we put considerable resources into ensuring that Martins was arrested, charged, and sentenced. He now has a long time to think about his actions inside a prison cell."