Detectives investigating an alleged acid attack in Plymouth have been granted more time to question a suspect following a court application. On the evening of Tuesday, March 4, Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed that a 25-year-old man from London had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and was taken into police custody.

The arrest followed an alleged acid attack on a man in his 30s at 3.55am on February 21 at a property in Lipson Road. It is understood that two suspects forced their way into the property and assaulted the occupant. The victim, a man in his 30s, suffered serious injuries and remains in a serious condition in hospital.

The arrest took place at an undisclosed location in north London and was carried out in a joint operation by Devon and Cornwall Police officers and officers from the Metropolitan Police. The 25-year-old was initially held at a London police station before being transported to an undisclosed Devon police station where he is being interviewed by specialist detectives.

The force had previously linked the case to organised crime, with investigators working alongside the National Crime Agency and other partner agencies to locate the suspects. After leaving Plymouth, it was thought that the suspects headed to a small village in Wiltshire before leaving that area.

Following the arrest of the 25-year-old, one suspect remains outstanding. He was previously described as black, in his early 20s, and wearing all black clothing. A senior officer confirmed that a warrant for further detention was granted by a Devon magistrates' court, allowing police an additional 24 hours to hold the suspect for questioning. The suspect can be held until Friday afternoon.

Under Crown Prosecution Service guidance, an arrested person must be charged or released within 24 hours of arrival at a police station. However, this can be extended to 36 hours with police superintendent authorization. Further extensions can be applied for up to 96 hours if necessary, to secure evidence or conduct a diligent investigation.

Police have also revealed that they are carrying out both national and international enquiries to apprehend the remaining suspect. Additionally, investigations are ongoing into whether there was a controlling element behind the attack.

The police continue to appeal for information and have urged anyone with relevant CCTV or dashcam footage to contact them on 101 or via their website, quoting log 69 of February 21. Alternatively, independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously at Crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling freephone 0800 555 111.

Join PlymouthLive's WhatsApp community for top stories and breaking news sent directly to your phone. PlymouthLive is now on WhatsApp, and we want you to join us. Once you sign up for our updates, we'll send the latest breaking news and the biggest stories of the day straight to your phone. To join, click the link and select 'Join Community'. No one will see who is signed up, and no one can send messages except for the PlymouthLive team.

We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can leave at any time. To exit, click on the group name at the top of your screen and select 'Exit group'. For more details, you can read our Privacy Notice.