Ukrainian refugee who shacked up with Brit dad arrives in court 'after biting police officer and going on the run'

18 July 2023, 13:35 | Updated: 18 July 2023, 16:42

A Ukrainian refugee who started a relationship with a man who left his wife for her missed a court date after assaulting two police officers, before showing up 24 hours late.

Sofiia Karkadym, 23, had a four-month relationship last year with Tony Garnett, 30. Garnett, his long-term partner Lorna and their children took Karkadym into their home under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Just ten days after she arrived, Mr Garnett dumped Lorna and left the family home with Karkadym, moving into a new house in Bradford.

Mr Garnett broke up with Karkadym in September because "he couldn't put up with her" anymore. They got together again before splitting up a second time this year.

Mr Garnett accused her of not being able to handle alcohol and using a knife to damage a wall.

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He claimed that "she picked up a knife and stabbed the wall several times", forcing him to call police because he was worried about his safety.

When she came to collect her belongings this week, police were called after an incident at the house.

Karkadym is then accused of assaulting the police officers, biting one of them. She had been due to appear at Bradford Magistrates' Court charged with two counts of assault on Monday, but failed to appear, the MailOnline reported.

She then appeared in court 24 hours later, and is said to have given a photographer the finger as she arrived.

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Mr Garnett said he dumped Karkadym because he couldn't "take her abuse or anger any longer."

"I left Lorna and my two children for her, and I made every extra effort I could to help her keep us together.

"I worked so hard to make this relationship work. I knew that we would look like tw*ts if we broke up because we have a media profile and all the attention that has been put on us on television and on the internet.

"I also genuinely felt sorry for her. She left her home and her country which was at war and knew nobody here.

"Yes, I felt and I thought I was in love with her. But there is a side to her which I just cannot put up with any longer. She gets angry and aggressive."

Anthony Garnett, who left his partner for a Ukrainian refugee, speaks to LBC

After their initial break-up, Karkadym flew back to Ukraine, before Mr Garnett went out to the war-torn country to bring her to the UK again.

They tried to make their relationship work a second time, but broke up again in April.

Karkadym returned to Ukraine again, but came back to Garnett's house to pick up her belongings, when the row broke out.

Mr Garnett said yesterday: "I want as little as possible to do with her. As far as I know, she arrived on Wednesday from Ukraine. She had come to collect her things from my place. 

"I don't know where she is now. I am not in touch with her that much because I have a new girlfriend now and I have moved on."