I've survived acid and boiling water attacks.... but living rough could kill me

A SURVIVOR of two separate horror assaults involving acid and boiling water is now living on the streets and believes homelessness might kill her.

-  PAUL HEALY

Simone Lee, 43, was twice left fighting for life in attacks three years apart, which ultimately saw two men given long sentences.

In the most recent high-profile case in March of this year, her former pal Christopher Stokes was jailed for 11-and-a-half years for a brutal attack in May 2021 in which he put a bag over her head, beat her and poured ammonia acid and boiling water over her.

The 39-year-old then set her Limerick city apartment on fire.

In a prior incident her ex-partner Colin Ryan was jailed for six years for a shockingly similar attack in Limerick in 2016.

But five months on from Stoke's sentence, Ms Lee says she's sleeping rough, has lost three stone, and believes her situation may kill her.

She added: "I've gone to the stage now where I'm saying Colin Ryan didn't kill me, Christopher Stokes didn't kill me, but homelessness will. I'm literally couch surfing. I'm on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

"I can't understand how Christopher Stokes is in a clean, warm cell and able to get three meals a day and us paying for it.

"Meanwhile, the guards issued me with a panic button and I've no home to put it in and it's been two-and-a-half years."