A MAN who threw sulphuric acid in the face of a woman, blinding her

and scarring her for life, lost his appeal against conviction yesterday.

Kelvin Greenhalghse, 32, who was jailed for 20 years, bowed his head

as three judges at the Scottish Court of Criminal Appeal ruled that

although there was a misdirection by the trial judge in relation to the

evidence of one witness, the court would not overturn the jury's guilty

verdict.

Louise Duddy, 26, ex-wife of co-accused Gordon Modiak, was the victim

of a revenge attack plotted by Modiak and carried out by Greenhalghse,

formerly of Armadale, West Lothian.

Lord Hope, the Lord Justice General, sitting with Lord Allanbridge and

Lord Cowie at the Scottish Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh said

the jury had compelling evidence before them to enable them to return a

guilty verdict on the assault charges.

The trial judge Lord MacLean did misdirect the jury in relation to the

evidence of Kate Modiak, a sister of accused Gordon Modiak, in relation

to a statement which she made to police and to her evidence at the

trial. The trial judge had failed to make clear that the witness's

statement to police was not evidence against the accused but could be

used to test the credibility of other evidence.

The appeal court, however, took the view the misdirection in this case

did not amount to a miscarriage of justice.

The trial had heard Modiak plotted the attack on his ex-wife three

months after their divorce and Kelvin Greenhalghse threw the

concentrated sulphuric acid on Louise Duddy as she was about to drive

off in her car.

Her two sons, Deane, 8, and Ryan, 1, were also in the car and both

were injured after some of the acid splashed on them.

The trial heard that, after the attack on February 13 in Hutchison

Place, Edinburgh, the getaway car was driven by Modiak.