Stefan Sylvestre, the man responsible for throwing acid on TV presenter, charity CEO and author, Katie Piper OBE, in 2008, is currently wanted by police after breaching his licence conditions.
Sylvestre, who carried out the attack on behalf of Piper's abusive ex-partner, Daniel Lynch, received a life sentence in 2009 but was released on license in 2018 - now, the authorities say they've recalled him to prison but are unable to locate him. At the time of his release, the Parole Board said Sylvestre "displayed empathy for the victim and expressed remorse and shame for his actions". It added that he had "repaired his relationship" with his family, abstained from anti-social behaviour during his sentence and had "completed relevant offence-focused work to challenge and change his attitude and thinking"
Lynch also received a lifelong sentence in 2009 (and was ordered to serve 16 years) for orchestrating the acid attack and for sexually assaulting Piper.
The Probation Service have said [via BBC] that they are working hard alongside officers to find Sylvestre and put him back behind bars. A Probation Service spokesperson said: "We are urgently working with the police to bring the offender back to prison, where he'll face longer behind bars."
Following the attack, Piper was left with severe burns, sight loss in one eye and requiring multiple surgeries. When Sylvestre was released in 2018, she tweeted saying that it was not welcome news and something she was finding difficult to navigate.
"This is a really difficult time for me. I am trying to come to terms with the decision and this is something I need to deal with," Piper said, adding that her then-turn on Strictly Come Dancing was a welcome distraction. "Over the past 2 weeks Strictly has already given me such a welcome and positive distraction from my past. Whilst there is never a good time to hear this news, I am glad I have this new journey to concentrate on."
Piper first shared her story with the world in a Channel 4 documentary, Katie: My Beautiful Face, back in October 2009. Since then, she has fronted the likes of Bodyshockers, become a regular panellist on Loose Women and released several inspirational titles about her recovery and positive mindset. She has not addressed the latest news reports on her social media accounts.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
