He told her she ‘wasn’t worth going to prison over’ but has now been put behind bars
Alexandru-Cristian Mihai, of Albert Road in Wigan, aged 37(Image: Cheshire Police)
A dad “went nuts” when his girlfriend talked to a waiter at a restaurant and left her permanently injured. Alexandru-Cristian Mihai told his partner that he was “going to have to give her a slap” due to his “jealousy” before throttling her with such force that he caused irreversible damage to her carotid artery.
While he went on to threaten that he would “stab and kill her”, he then told her she “wasn’t worth going to prison over”. But he has now been put behind bars for his savage and unprovoked assault.
Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday afternoon, Tuesday, that the couple had been “in an on off relationship” for around three years. But Mihai went on to “hit, punch and strangle” his girlfriend during a “violent incident” at his then home in the Widnes area on May 7 this year.
Brett Williamson, prosecuting, outlined how the victim had picked him up from work on that date, with the 37-year-old defendant, now of Albert Road in Wigan, having slapped her upon entering the car. The two later went out to a restaurant in Warrington.
But Mihai was said to have become “annoyed” by his partner speaking to a male member of staff during their meal. Having returned to his bedsit at around 9pm, they were then in bed together when he told her: “You know I’m going to have to slap you. You know I get jealous.”
Mihai thereafter struck her to the face before “throwing her onto her back, climbing on top of her” and hitting her “a few times” further. She shouted for help, “believing she would die and that he wanted to kill her”, before he held her down by her neck and strangled her.
The complainant described how Mihai was “going nuts, just squeezing” her neck, causing her to “go really light headed” and leaving her “feeling sick, shaking and crying”. He then went on to tell her he would “stab her and kill her” before adding that she “wasn’t worth going to prison over”.
Later, as she was getting dressed, Mihai held a shoehorn to her face and threatened to “cause a matching injury” to the other side of her face, saying: “Have you learned your lesson now? I’ve given you a reason to wear makeup now.”
The victim subsequently attended hospital, where it was discovered that she had suffered an internal carotid artery dissection. It is feared that the damage to this major blood vessel may be permanent.
Kevin Batch, defending, told the court: “He is divorced. His wife and three children live in Warrington. He was and has been employed ever since he has been in this country.
“Your honour has seen his approach and attitude since his remand in custody. He has spent his time positively since he has been in prison. He is, in my respectful submission, a man of positive character.”
Mihai admitted offences including intentional strangulation. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool wearing a khaki green Berghaus tracksuit top, he was jailed for 31 months and handed a seven-year restraining order.
Sentencing, Judge Gary Woodhall said: “It appears that, during course of that meal, you became annoyed by her talking to a male member of staff. You told her, effectively, that you were jealous and were going to have to give her a slap.
“You engaged in the use of serious violence, striking her to the eye. You struck her on more than one occasion. You pinned her down while she was screaming for help.
“The nature of the attack meant that she believed she was going to die and that you wanted to kill her. As she describes it, you were going nuts. You told her that you would stab her and kill her.
“You asked her if she had learned her lesson and mocked that you had given her another reason to wear makeup. As a result of the force that you applied to her neck, she suffered a carotid artery dissection.
“She describes, in profound terms, the impact that your behaviour has had on her life. She has been told that the injury to her neck might carry lifelong risks. She now lives with constant anxiety about her health. She has been left feeling humiliated, with damaged self-esteem. She says that you didn’t just hurt her, you changed her.”