A DAD who was left blind in one eye after having a pint of acid dumped on his face in a shocking case of mistaken identity has called for harsher sentences for similar crimes.

Speaking to The Argus, Andreas Christopheros slammed the "despicable" justice system for the "light-hearted way" it dealt with his attacker.

David Phillips drove 300 miles from Hastings to get revenge for an assault on a member of his family - but he got the wrong person.

Phillips knocked on the father-of-two's door before pouring a pint of sulphuric acid over him, leaving him in a coma.

The Argus: Andreas Christopheros says he feels let down by the justice system Andreas Christopheros says he feels let down by the justice system

On the anniversary of the horrific attack, Mr Christopheros called on the police to be given more powers to tackle acid attackers.

He said: "I firmly believe that if someone wants to do you harm, they are going to do you harm.

"If they can't get their hands on concentrated sulphuric acid, they will find another corrosive substance - there are a lot of them.

"Going through an investigation as I have, the police hands seems so tied on so many things.

"Give the police better powers to do their jobs."

Phillips was given a life sentence with a minimum term of eight years in October 2015 - but the life sentence was quashed a year later.

Judges instead imposed a 16-year sentence, saying he would be eligible for parole after he had served eight.

Mr Christopheros told The Argus that he felt let down by the justice system and those responsible for handing out his attacker's punishment.

He added: "I don't think the law failed me - I think the judges failed me.

"It is not the legislation that is so much the issue but the stance on sentencing.

"To treat acid in the light-handed way they have done is despicable.

"The highest-ranking judges in the UK deemed him not to be a danger to society and lightened his sentence, which was baffling.

"How can a man, who drove 300 miles to someone's house, to throw a pint of sulphuric acid on their face, and bugger straight back off, then not cooperate with the police, deemed not to be a danger to society?

"It just doesn't make sense."

It comes after judges increased the sentence of Brighton acid attacker Milad Rouf, who left a junior doctor with devastating injuries after hurling sulphuric acid in her face.

Rym Alaoui was subjected to the horrific attack earlier this year when she was tricked by Rouf on her doorstep.

Rouf, a medical student, now aged 26, travelled to the town and disguised himself in a fat suit in order to fool his former partner and carry out the assault.

Solicitor General Alex Chalk challenged the sentence as being unduly lenient, referring it to the Court of Appeal.

Following a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice, judges increased Rouf’s sentence to 15 years imprisonment with a four-year extended licence.

The Home Office told The Argus: “Attacks on people involving acids or other corrosives can result in huge distress and life changing injuries and we are clear there is no place in society for these sickening attacks.

“Possessing a corrosive substance such as sulphuric acid above 15 per cent concentration without a licence in public carries a two year prison sentence and an unlimited fine.”