A Romanian man who slashed his former girlfriend's face has been jailed for five years by Judge Frank O'Donnell at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Eugene Cotizo Murzan (31), from Blessington Street, Dublin, but originally from Transylvania in Romania, went into the Swan Shopping Centre in Rathmines, in April last year. He bought a Stanley knife and waited a number of hours for Ms Marinela Ancuta Gardus (21) to enter.
When she did, they argued before the woman ran down the shopping centre mall to try to get away from Murzan.
He knocked her to the ground and proceeded to slash her across both sides of the face in front of many shoppers, mainly women and children, before fleeing the scene.
Murzan pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm to Ms Gardus (21) on April 27th, 2001. He has no previous convictions.
Judge O'Donnell said although Murzan claimed the offence was motivated by jealousy, he could not accept it was a crime of passion. "This attack was savage, unprovoked, and unjustified. It was premeditated and executed with unwarranted savagery." Judge O'Donnell also ordered that Murzan be deported as soon as he was released.
Ms Gardus, who still lives in Dublin, has been left with five permanent scars on both sides of her face and has lost the use of the little finger on her left hand.