A Suffolk man who allegedly paid for someone to throw acid over his ex-girlfriend has been described as jealous and controlling by her best friend. Aimee Roberts told a jury at Ipswich Crown Court that several months before the acid attack, Adele Bellis said Anthony Riley had locked her in his house and hit her in the face.

She said on another occasion Miss Bellis, who worked as a beautician on cruise ships, had been to a reunion and had been ordered by Riley to get on a train home after he heard a man's voice in the background while he was on the phone to her. 'He was a very jealous and controlling person,' Miss Roberts said.

Riley, 27, of Raglan Street, Lowestoft, and Leon Thompson, 39, of Alma Road, Lowestoft, have denied conspiring to throw sulphuric acid over Miss Bellis in August last year with intent to maim or disfigure her. They have also denied conspiring to wound Miss Bellis with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm between March 1 and April 30 last year.

Riley has further denied falsely imprisoning Miss Bellis on or about March 15 last year and Thompson has denied having a Stanley knife and wounding Miss Bellis with intent to do her grievous bodily harm on April 29 last year. The court has heard that Miss Bellis was left with horrific injuries after Riley allegedly paid Harrison to throw acid over her.

The trial continues today.