A woman in the UK who threw acid in the face of her friend, leaving her scarred for life, has been sentenced to 12 years in jail. Mary Konye (22) cried as the sentence was handed down at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

Her victim Naomi Oni (22) has had skin grafts to cover the severe burns and has been left with scars on her face, legs, chest, stomach and arms.

The 'Victoria's Secret' shop assistant was almost blinded in one eye, lost an eyelid, her eyelashes and hair following the attack on December 30th 2012 in east London.

In a statement read out in court, Naomi Oni said the felt "violated" by the attack, which left her feeling like killing herself. Before the attack, she told the court, she was a "confident" young woman with a job she enjoyed.

"All this changed that day I was struck with acid and my life was turned upside down" she said.

She described everyday now as "a battle to get by".

"I'm going to have these scars as a reminder forever...my injuries are due to the carefully planned acts of an evil, wicked person" Ms. Oni added.

"Careful, premeditated criminality"

Konye disguised herself in a Muslim veil and followed Naomi Oni home from work before attacking her.

No clear motive has ever been discovered but it is believed the pair fell out in April 2011 after Ms. Oni allegedly accused Konye of texting her boyfriend and called her an "ugly monster".

On sentencing Miss Konye, Judge David Radford said Konye had shown no remorse for the "deliberate and wicked act".

Judge Radford said "This careful, premeditated criminality was planned against a person who reasonably believed you were a true friend. Her friendship had been so wilfully betrayed by you" he said, adding the the attack had "ruined" Ms. Oni's life.

Following the assault Konye pretended to offer her former friend support, texting her in hospital.

Although it is thought Konye could have planned the attack for two years, she later suggested Oni had devised the whole thing to get "fame and fortune".

The attack is believed to have been a copycat version of the one suffered by model and TV presenter Katie Piper, who was badly scarred and left blind in one eye in an assault arranged by her ex-boyfriend, Daniel Lynch, in 2008.

Previously, Ms. Oni had told the court that Konye knew the impact the attack had on her after they watched a TV documentary about it.