TUI rep in acid attack was ‘lured to fake date’
An acid attack on a TUI rep in the Algarve last year was allegedly organised by the victim’s ex-boyfriend.
Court papers reveal rep Ellie Chessel, 29, was lured to a fake Tinder date that was set up by her former boyfriend of two years.
Ellie suffered 50% burns to her body in the attack, which took place in May 2017, two months after the split from Claudio Gouveia.
Court files claim Gouveia and an alleged hitman, Edmundo Helder Rodrigues Fonseca, travelled from the Portuguese island Madeira to the Algarve for a ‘recce’ four days before the attack, according to the Daily Mirror.
Prior to their separation, Ms Chessell had lived in Madeira with Mr Gouveia.
Portuguese and UK police were warned the holiday rep was in danger at least a month before acid was thrown at her in May 2016, according to prosecution papers.
The ex-boyfriend has been in custody since May last year and the prosecutors are believed to be awaiting extradition of the alleged hit man, who is reportedly in a Ugandan jail, serving time for heroin charges.
The victim has returned to the UK and is undergoing burns treatment as well as receiving therapy for post-traumatic stress.
In the court papers, she says: "I had a career with TUI that I enjoyed and fully expected to continue in this role.
"This has now been put on hold pending my complete recovery."
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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