A defendant has been left critically injured after dousing himself with acid in a London court.
Marc Marshall was in the dock at Inner London Crown Court on Monday when he poured the noxious substance over himself.
The 54-year-old is reported to have just been sentenced for fraud offences when the incident happened.
A female dock officer was also injured but did not need hospital treatment.
Marshall was carrying a metal water bottle but CCTV footage is said to have shown him sipping from it as he went through security, the BBC reported.
A HM Courts and Tribunals Service spokesman told the broadcaster it would be "urgently investigating" the circumstances surrounding the incident.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Police were called to Court 10, Inner London Crown Court, at 12.01pm on Monday, 29 April, following reports of a serious assault.
"Officers, London Ambulance Service and London Air Ambulance attended and a male aged in his fifties was found to have doused himself with a noxious substance.
"He has been taken to hospital for treatment of his injuries. His condition is critical.
"A female dock officer was also injured by some of the substance. Her injuries are not believed to be serious and she did not require hospital treatment."
