Ferne McCann has issued an apology to the victims of her ex-partner, Arthur Collins, who is currently in jail for injuring 22 people in a 2017 acid attack. Last week, voice recordings were leaked which appeared to show Ferne calling one of his victims, Sophie Hall, “ugly” and a “c***”.
In a statement, Ferne said: “I want to apologise to all the victims of Arthur Collins’ abhorrent actions in 2017…In particular I want to apologise to Sophie Hall.
“I do not believe her to be ugly or stupid. She has been brave beyond belief.”
Ferne added that she is “unable” to give her full side of the story because there are “important and significant legal proceedings” at play.
“Even so, I will have said things that are untrue and I did not believe – but I did so to protect my family and myself from serious harm and in the face of significant threats.”
The voice notes in question were leaked from an anonymous Instagram account and are said to have been recorded one year after the 2017 attack.
Sophie, who suffered scarring to her face and arms, had entered a pageant and wore a dress made from newspaper headlines about the attack.
In the voice note, Ferne allegedly said: “The silly b**** has made a dress, a papier-mâché dress out of the cuttings from the event.
“She will probably win it. I’m not going to lie. Only because the awards she entered are probably loving all this free press. So they will probably fix it, she will win. She is one ugly f***ing c***.”
Ferne’s representatives subsequently claimed the voice notes are part of a “harassment campaign” against her.
In a statement obtained by the Mirror, a spokesperson said: “These voice messages are part of a wider harassment campaign designed to intimidate and discredit Ferne.
“As such, Ferne is unable to comment other than to say she offers her deepest sympathies for the distress and hurt this situation is causing Ms. Hall.”
Sophie said that she “felt sick to her stomach” after hearing the voice notes.
She told The Sun earlier this week: “It has taken five years to rebuild my confidence after the attack.
“And now in just minutes all my hard work has been shattered by these malicious voice notes… I’m in a state of shock and disbelief.”
Arthur Collins, who is the father of Ferne’s daughter Sunday, was jailed for 20 years after admitting to throwing acid across a busy London nightclub.
Of the 22 people injured as a result of the attack, 16 suffered serious burns.
It is understood that he dated Ferne in 2016 and then again in 2017.
Shortly after the attack, Ferne announced she had split from Arthur Collins and was pregnant with his child.
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