The jilted lover recruited her besotted ex-lover to carry out a “sadistic” acid attack on her boyfriend after the rejecting her advances in bed, a court heard.
The helpless boyfriend Daniel Rotariu, has been left blind and “deeply disfigured” after “smiling” ex, Mark Cummings, poured 96 per cent pure sulphuric acid over him, it is alleged.
Leong and Cummings have blamed each other for the attack during the trial at Leicester Crown Court [photo]
He “sealed his fate” after he simply “pushed her away”, Leicester Crown Court was told.
Mrs Leong is alleged to have been “fixated” with acid attacks and controlled her ex like “a puppet on a string”.
The attack on Rotariu was about “much more than simply trying to kill a man” it was about “killing someone in a truly cruel and sadistic manner”, the jury heard.
Leong, 61, and Cummings, 46, deny attempted murder or intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm.
The pair have shifted the blame on each other during interrogation regarding the attack which took place in the early hours of July 27, 2016 at Leong’s home in Leicester.
Records show that Cummings bought 96 per cent pure sulphuric acid in February and June 2016, which he allegedly told a mental health nurse, Leong had made him purchase.
The prosecutor, Andrew Easteal, said Cummings had previously been in a relationship with Leong, but their romance ended acrimoniously with him twice being convicted of assaulting her in 2015. The second conviction resulted in a restraining order banning him from contacting Leong.
Easteal alleged that despite Leong being a slightly built woman she was the “more powerful” and “more controlling” of the pair.

The attack allegedly took place at Katie Leong’s home, Leicester on July 27, 2018
He said: “She knew Cummings was obsessed with her and desperately wanted to be back in a full-time relationship.
“Although she did not share the romantic and sexual feelings he had for her, Leong continued to string him along and when it served her, feed his hope that in the end she would choose to be with him.”
She also “carefully hid” her new relationship with the much younger Daniel Rotariu from her Cummings, it is alleged. According to the prosecutor the besotted Cummings was “desperate to please her, to do whatever he could to win her over.”
On the evening of the attack Mrs Leong had argued with Mr Rotariu and he was apparently not keen to make up with her.
Easteal said: “according to Leong herself, when she later went into his room and tried to get into bed with him, he pushed her away.
“That may have been the moment Mr Rotariu sealed his own fate.”
Co-defendant Leong is allegedly, asked Cummings to visit her, before ushering him upstairs to her room as she needed him “both as an accomplice and a scapegoat”.
The prosecution told the court it took about six seconds to pour half a litre of almost pure sulphuric acid over the victim’s head and body.
Although she was the mastermind of the attack, Leong allegedly later told police Mr Cummings “smiled” at her as he carried out the attack.
For “part of the time” after the attack Mrs Leong “did her best to present herself as the loving, distraught and hysterical girlfriend” – Prosecutor, Andrew Easteal
Rotariu, who worked as a press setter in Leicester, screamed so loud two other tenants in the house woke up and the emergency services were alerted, a court heard.
He is now blind and is said to be struggling to cope with the sheer volume of painkillers he has to take.
Eastel told the court: “This attack was about much more than simply trying to kill a man.
“This was about how the victim was to die; about the murder weapon itself as much as the victim; about killing someone in a truly cruel and sadistic manner.
“The acid was poured over his head and face, over his chest, arms, hands and even his legs.
“Note the word I used a moment ago – poured – not thrown.Poured over to maximise its effect and to ensure most of it struck the target. Sulphuric acid keeps on burning.
“The fact the intention of the attackers was to kill Daniel Rotariu is, we say, clear.
“Each is saying the other is guilty.We say neither acted alone, these defendants were in it together.”
He added: “They are both to blame for the horror of what was done that night; each had their own very different and profoundly selfish reasons,” and highlighted that
for “part of the time” after the attack Katie Leong “did her best to present herself as the loving, distraught and hysterical girlfriend,” Easteal said.
“She loudly blamed herself for the terrible injuries saying it was because she foolishly let Cummings into the house, wanting to be charitable when he asked for somewhere to stay.
“Leong’s hysteria was very strange; strange in the sense she seemed able to switch it on and off.
“At times when she thought she wasn’t in view of the police or others or when she had no audience she could appear totally unmoved by the agony her boyfriend was suffering…but she was seen.”
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