A MAN accused of seriously injuring a woman with acid told a court that he sent a text to her saying "you're dead", the day before she was attacked.

Billy Midore isaccused of conspiring with his brother to attack a Southampton mum in an acid attack, but has said he was "fuming" with his sibling.

Standing trial, Billy Midmore has said that he had no idea his brother Geoffrey had planned to attack Carla Whitlock.

The 22-year-old of no fixed abode has denied causing GBH with intent and told jurors at Southampton Crown Court that his "head was all over the place" after discovering his brother had attacked Carla outside of Turtle Bay in Guildhall Square last year.

Geoffrey, 26 has admitted one charge of causing GBH with intent.

The court heard how on the night of the attack, September 18, Billy had met up with his brother and their friends at a car park near Bedford Place before going onto a bar and then Grosvenor Square car park for a party.

The group of around five people then moved on to the park near Guildhall Square but Billy said his brother was very drunk and he had no intention of staying with the group.

Billy, who admitted he first came to Southampton in May to start selling drugs, told the court that he was planning to head back to London in the days after the attack as his supplies were running low.

He told the court that because he didn't drink he wasn't interested in going out and went to sell drugs to someone in East Park on his own and then onto the Premier Inn hotel in New Road to get a taxi home.

Billy said he then got a call from Geoffrey who said he "needed to get out of Southampton."

The court heard how Billy got a taxi to pick up his brother and their friend Joshua Gordon, known as Bones, from Southampton Central Station where CCTV showed Billy making a 'shh' gesture to his brother.

Billy told the court: "I was telling my brother to be quiet because obviously I kind of had an idea that something happened, I didn't know what at the time but I didn't want him to tell me in front of the cab driver I didn't know if Bones knew what happened I didn't want to know at that time or for him to broadcast it."

Defending, Mark Ruffell asked Billy if he was aware of what his brother had planned and if he assisted in the attack.

To both questions Billy answered "no."

Giving evidence, Midmore also revealed to jurors he sent a text to Carla Whitlock the night before she was attacked which read "you're dead. chump change."

He said this was his way of "venting anger" after discovering that his brother had been robbed of at least £2,000 worth of money made through drug sales in a meeting set up by Carla.

Midmore told the court that Carla had contacted him earlier that afternoon asking for £100 worth of drugs and he asked his brother Geoffrey to meet the Southampton mum near the Bedford Arms on September 17.

Midmore said that he went to meet his brother in the pub and told the court that Geoffrey came into the Bedford Arms saying "I've been robbed."

Later Geoffrey told Billy that he had been robbed by men and Carla had not been there to collect the drugs and pay him.

Prosecuting, Kerry Maylin said: "you held Carla Whitlock responsible, didn't you"

Billy said: "In some way yes, she was involved, she set it all up."

Later that night Billy sent Carla the threatening text.

He said: "It was just my way of venting anger. I didn't want to talk to her I wanted her to know to not contact me anymore.

"Of course I told my brother not to worry, its drugs sometimes you win sometimes you lose its a game."

Miss Maylin said: "Is it a game that Carla Whitlock has lost sight in her right eye and is scarred down her face and requires plastic surgery."

Billy said: "No that's not a game that's something else."

Daily Echo:

Five days before Carla Whitlock, above, had acid thrown in her face because of a drugs related robbery, Billy Midmore said he had swallowed and transported £3,000 worth of drugs for his brother to sell in Southampton.

Midmore told the court that he swallowed two ounces of heroine and two ounces of crack cocaine and then travelled by train from London to Basingstoke to hand over the drugs to Geoffrey on September 13.

He told the court he then travelled to the city the next day and stayed at a drug user, known as budgie's house where the toilet was blocked.

Midmore told the court that was why he was spotted on CCTV buying drain cleaner from Homebase in Millbrook on September 16 but when he went back to the flat in Jubilee Court it didn't work.

Midmore said his brother then told him to try One Shot and told him it was "the best drain cut blocker out there."

Billy and Geoffrey Midmore were then seen on CCTV at the Homebase store again on September 18, the day of the attack, and a statement by a member of staff confirmed they had been asking for One Shot which is believed to be the substance thrown over Carla's face.

Billy told the court that Homebase in Millbrook didn't have any One Shot in stock and they purchased it from Plumbase.

He said that he then used half the bottle of drain cleaner, which contains sulphuric acid, to pour down the toilet and that it "didn't really smell of anything" and he didn't take any safety precautions before using the solution, which Billy said he put on the kitchen side with the box after using it.

Miss Maylin said: "you were happy on the train journey after the attack on Carla Whitlock because you had got your revenge for someone who had set you up for a £2,000 robbery.

"It was your debt you had to enforce it. It was your loss not your brother's. And because you had lost face as a drug dealer I suggest Mr Midmore had gone out purchased One Shot decanted it into a Magnum Wine Tonic bottle which you and your brother then took on September 18 and you and your brother acted together when it was thrown over Carla Whitlock and she identified you along with Matthew Wedgner having been at the scene.

"They both know you, they saw you there that night, you barged Matthew Wedgner and he chased you and then you ran away while your brother threw the acid into Mr Wedgner's girlfriend's face."

Proceeding.