A Swindon man who cut his girlfriend’s neck open has been jailed for 21 years.
Sezwin Crasto brutally attacked Cheryl Barretto with a craft knife at his address in Broad Street on 21 March 2022 – leaving doctors fighting to save her life.
The 23-year-old admitted a charge of wounding with intent but denied a charge of attempted murder, claiming that he did not intend to kill her.
During a four-day trial at Bristol Crown Court this week, a medic said that the defendant must have used a “sawing” motion on Miss Barretto’s neck to cause such a significant injury.
Jurors were told that Miss Barretto had to be intubated through the knife wound in her neck rather than her throat as is normal practice due to the injury.
Crasto launched the assault on his girlfriend after she told him she wanted to end the relationship.
He used a knife to slash her across the face and neck, leaving her with life-changing injuries – including permanent scarring and changes to her voice.
In his sentencing remarks, Judge William Hart said: “You were a controlling, jealous and possessive boyfriend.
“You went into an ungovernable rage. It is almost certain that you first inflicted those savage wounds to her face. They were done deliberately. Intentionally. Not to kill her, but deliberately to disfigure her. Either to make her undesirable or simply to punish her.
“And then you used the weapon to inflict that dreadful wound to her throat. It was done with an intent to kill, as is explicitly found by the jury’s verdict. But there was nothing other than immediate premeditation.”
Sezwin Crasto must serve at least two thirds of his 21-year-sentence.
Detective Constable Victoria Barker, from Swindon CID, said: “The victim in this case had been in a relationship with Crasto for around a year, but during that time he had been incredibly controlling and possessive, isolating her from her friends and making threats to her if she failed to meet him or respond to his messages.
“On the day of the attack, she told him that she wanted to end the relationship, and in response, he had told her that he would not allow that to happen and carried out a violent attack on her.
“Her injuries were so significant that she was unable to speak. It was only thanks to the surgical care she has received in the months following the attack, that she is now able to use her voice once again.
“Aside from the physical injuries, there has also been an understandable and significant mental impact on her. She has shown incredible bravery in assisting us in our investigation, and I want to pay tribute to her.”
