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The man who threw a corrosive cleaning product on his ex-girlfriend Tanya St-Arnauld during an argument two years ago was handed a 57-month prison sentence for the crime — but with time served, he’ll be free in another 16 months.
A judge in Longueuil handed Nikolas Stefanatos his sentence on Tuesday.
The attack in Longueuil on Aug. 26, 2012 left St-Arnauld with second- and third-degree burns to her face, arms, neck and back. She was placed in a medically-induced coma for a time, and underwent several skin grafts.
The sentence will be followed by three years of probation that will include a set of 17 conditions designed, in part, to address a serious problem Stefanatos has with drugs and alcohol. He was high on the day he attacked St-Arnauld, a woman he had been living with when the attack occurred.
Outside the courtroom, St-Arnauld said that while she understands what went into the joint sentencing recommendation, including that a judge has to factor in sentences from similar cases, she still found 16 months to be very little.
“It’s okay. I was aware of it, but it’s not much. It’s 16 months and in a year-and-a-half he’ll be out and walking about. It took me longer to get better and do my (surgeries). In 16 months, he’ll look normal, he’ll be able to change his name and in 16 months I’ll still be scarred,” the victim said.
St-Arnauld had to be placed in an induced coma twice after Stefanatos threw the cleaning product on her during a heated argument following a day spent with friends.
Agencies/Canadajournal
