Friends of Ferne McCann have hit back at “sick” claims she made disparaging comments about the victims of ex-partner Arthur Collins’ acid attack and said there was an “ongoing hate campaign” against them.
An anonymous Instagram account on Wednesday leaked voice notes allegedly sent by Ferne, 32, in which a woman’s voice described one of the criminal’s victims as a “dumb bastard”.
They were said to be referring to Sophie Hall, who reached the Miss England final 15 months after the disgusting attack, baring her scars.
A source close to Ferne McCann told Web that the messages were “spliced together” from separate recordings in order to “destroy” them.
Drama: Ferne McCann held back amid reports on Thursday that she is preparing for three new voice notes said to be hers to be released from an anonymous Instagram account
Convicted: Collins is currently serving 20 years in prison after throwing acid at an east London nightclub in April 2017, injuring 14 people
The account later published another post saying more voice memos, allegedly remotely, would be sent in the next 24 hours.
A source close to the former I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! Star told Web the messages were “spliced together” from separate recordings in order to “destroy” them.
The source explained: “Ferne is devastated by the content of these voice messages. This is part of an ongoing hate campaign against them.
“The latest message was stitched together from various WhatsApp recordings.
“The messages are about four and five years old and taken out of context.
“The person releasing the private voice recordings is trying to destroy them.
“The fact that they have kept the private voice messages for so long and are now releasing them shows what a sick person they are. It doesn’t just hurt from afar, it hurts the people being talked about. Ferne is also very aware of this.”
Shocking: The account, which goes by the username ladywhistledown195, has already leaked a number of records – accusing the reality star of making “disgusting” comments about one of the victims of ex-boyfriend Arthur Collins’ acid attack
Heads down: Ferne, 32, and Lorri rushed to their home amid the aftermath of the recent voice memo controversy
Looking for updates? Wearing a cream sweater and dark scarf, the TV personality was taped to her phone as she walked inside
The source continued, “The truth is Ferne has great sympathy for Arthur’s victims and what they went through. She admires her courage.
“Police are continuing their investigation into who is posting and editing the news.
“Ferne is to be questioned again to help catch the perpetrator.
“She has been advised by her legal team that she is unable to comment at this time while the investigation is ongoing.”
Collins is currently serving 20 years in prison after throwing acid at an east London nightclub in April 2017, injuring 14 people.
The former scaffolder – the father of Ferne’s daughter Sunday, five – has been convicted of five counts of intentional aggravated assault and nine counts of actual assault against 14 people, including model Sophie.
The voicemail message posted by the anonymous account, which is said to have been sent remotely, discussed Sophie’s participation in the 2018 beauty pageant.
A woman’s voice is heard saying, “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry, the stupid b***h made a dress… A paper mache dress from the newspaper clippings from the event.”
In another post, the woman says, “She’ll probably win, I’m not going to lie just about the event and the awards she’s attended or the beauty pageant, whatever it is.”
Ex: Ferne was accused of making “disgusting” comments about one of the victims of ex-boyfriend Arthur Collins’ acid attack in newly leaked voice memos (pictured in 2017).
“They probably love all that free press for their event, so they’ll probably fix it, they’ll win it.”
The Instagram account had previously been suspended after Ferne reported it to police when it allegedly published posts by the reality star calling her former TOWIE pal Sam Faiers, 31, a “fat c***” and ” narcissistic ass” branded CH’.
Sam and Ferne, who appeared side by side in The Only Way Is Essex, have been friends for over 20 years.
‘Disgusting comments’: In a new audio clip released by the anonymous account on Wednesday, a woman can be heard talking about one of Collins’ victims entering a beauty pageant
Arch: “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry, the stupid bitch made a dress… A paper mache dress from the newspaper clippings from the event,” says the woman in the audio clip Sophie’s Creation
Romantic holiday: Ferne pictured with her then-boyfriend Arthur in Ibiza in August 2016
Falling out: Ferne has been embroiled in an ongoing feud with Sam Faiers, 31, after audio leaked in which Ferne allegedly branded her pal a ‘fat dick’ (pictured together in 2019)