Thug threatened to set girlfriend alight

A THUG battered his girlfriend and threatened to set her on fire, a court has heard.

Adam Barwikowski, 28, subjected terrified Aneta Romaszko to a horrifying assault because he thought she no longer found him attractive.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard how the Polish immigrant was so violent towards her that she tried to commit suicide by overdose.

She failed, but only because her boyfriend had started to choke her, forcing her to spit the pills out.

The supermarket worker then threatened to set her alight using vodka and had told her that he was going to use her hair straighteners to burn her private parts.

He also told her that he was going to see a prostitute.

He then repeatedly assaulted her on two separate occasions on January 1, 2012.

When he was finally arrested, drunken Barwikowski started fighting with two police officers, who struggled to take him into custody.

The story emerged following a half-day trial in which Barwikowski, a prisoner of HMP Saughton, was convicted of domestic assault, breach of the peace, breaking property, and resisting police arrest.

His rampage took place on New Year’s Day at Aneta’s flat at Murano Place in Edinburgh.

Barwikowski, who has a previous conviction for abusing Aneta, was one of the first people to be convicted at a special court established in Edinburgh to target domestic abuse.

During the 90-minute trial, the court heard how Barwikowski awoke at 9am and started abusing Aneta immediately. He told defence solicitor Duncan Hughes that he kissed his partner of three years on the neck and tried to persuade her to have sex.

But Aneta refused, prompting Barwikowski to start hitting her, repeatedly punching her on the forehead and body.

Aneta was taken to hospital with a suspected fractured jaw, but was found to be suffering from severe bruising.

During the trial, Barwikowski denied assaulting his lover, and told his lawyer that he had only grabbed her to stop her from taking an overdose.

Crying, he told Mr Hughes, through a Polish translator, that he believed Aneta was telling lies.

He added: “I was very upset. I was wanting to get close to her, but she did not want to get close to me.

“I did not hurt her, I didn’t want her to swallow the pills. I still love her.”

However, Sheriff Maciver refused to believe Barwikowski’s story and found him guilty of assault and breach of the peace.

Barwikowski pleaded guilty to charges of damaging property and resisting police arrest at the start of proceedings. Sentence was deferred until March 2.