Ukrainian refugee who ran off with British father-of-two before he dumped her bit a policeman after learning her friend had been killed in the war, court hears

A Ukrainian refugee who ran off with a British father before he dumped her bit a policeman after learning her friend was killed in the war, a court has heard.  

Sofiia Karkadym, 23, flew back to Britain to attend court today after pleading guilty to assaulting an emergency worker.

Security guard Tony Garnett, 30, fell for IT manager Sofiia in May last year after he and his partner of ten years Lorna Garnett, 28, joined the Government's scheme to help Ukrainian refugees and invited her into their home in Bradford, West Yorkshire.

Tony was branded a love rat when he and Sofiia left his family home just ten days after she fled from Russia's invasion and started living with him and Lorna, the mother of his two daughters.

The couple moved into a rented love nest cottage in Bradford, but their relationship soured as Tony accused Sofiia of being repeatedly drunk and abusive.

He claimed her heavy drinking and jealousy over his two daughters fuelled arguments between them.

Bradford Magistrates' Court heard Sofiia, who has no address in Britain, was at her ex-lover's flat on 29 May this year and was refusing to leave the property.

Prosecutor Shabina Taj told the court that at 5pm two police officers attended the flat on Grape Street, Bradford, after a next door neighbour reported a commotion coming from inside.

Sofiia was 'visibly upset' because her friend had been killed in the war in the Ukraine.

Mrs Taj said a male attended the flat demanding all his belongings and wanting the defendant to be removed from the flat.

The police officers made numerous attempts to get her to leave, but she refused.

'The defendant was being very uncooperative during the whole hour,' said Mrs Taj.

PC Andrew Jordinson then placed Sofiia in handcuffs but she managed to slip out of one.

Together with his colleague, the officers picked her up and took her out of the flat, and decided to cuff her arms behind her back.

PC Jordinson said: 'The defendant looked down and then bit my hand between the thumb and finger in my right hand.

'I cried out and pushed her to the floor to prevent her biting again.'

The court heard Sofiia was displaying 'erratic behaviour' and it was feared she may harm herself.

'She was screaming and shouting on the way to the police d station,' said Mrs Taj.

Mitigating Lisa Julian said Sofiia has been back living in the Ukraine but had to returned to Bradford for her court case.

Mrs Julian said Sofiia had bounced around Europe after the Russian invasion and had ended up in Bradford, where her life fell apart.

Describing the day of the assault on PC Jordinson, Mrs Julian said: 'She had been drinking and had just found out her friend in the Ukraine had been killed.'

The court heard Sofiia is planning to return to the Ukraine 'as soon as possible'.

Bench chairman Brian Outlaw described Sofia's situation as 'unusual' and ordered her to pay PC Jordinson £150 compensation.