A Perthshire chicken factory worker who threw scalding coffee on a Ukrainian refugee for having an affair with her partner has been ordered to pay compensation.
Mioara Sosu discovered the woman she had taken in as a refugee had been involved in trysts with her partner behind her back.
The 49-year-old was left scarred and suffering hearing loss after the attack by spurned Sosu, 42.
Perth Sheriff Court was told previously the trio had ended up living together after the refugee rented a room from the Romanian couple of 14 years when she arrived in Scotland from her war-torn homeland.
After confirming a brief affair had taken place between the man and his tenant, Sheriff David Hall ordered Sosu to pay her victim £1,000 compensation.
He also made her subject to a 9pm to 6am curfew for six months and ordered her to carry out 225 hours unpaid work as part of an 18-month community payback order.
Sheriff Hall said: “It was a very serious thing to do, throwing a mug of hot liquid over someone’s face, causing severe injury, disfigurement and impairment.
“Your loss of temper is worrying but I understand the reason for it to be accepted by the Crown. What you did was reprehensible.”
Assault
The court had heard how the Ukrainian woman moved to Scotland on June 28 2023 due to the war in Ukraine.
Depute Fiscal Jennifer Bairner said: “She was renting a room from the accused and her partner, having been introduced by a third party who assists integration for foreign nationals.
“At 11am on October 8 2023 the victim went into the kitchen to make food.
“Sosu walked into the kitchen and said something in Romanian, which she could not understand, before punching her to the left side of the head twice.”
The male intervened and things seemed to have clamed but the prosecutor said: “Approximately 15 minutes later, the victim returned to the kitchen.
“Sosu followed her into the kitchen and made herself a coffee. She grabbed the mug and threw boiling coffee over the victim’s face.”
Affair claim
Sosu told police: “She did something when she was in the house with my friend.
“She provoked me to throw hot coffee on her.
“I know what she did was wrong but if she had not done to me what she did I wouldn’t have done what I done.”
Sosu admitted assault at Union Street, Coupar Angus.
The court was told the victim was treated for blisters in her ear and suffered scarring and hearing loss.
Solicitor David Sinclair, defending Sosu, said: “Since coming to Scotland in 2016 she has worked throughout and continues to do so.
“It may well be a salutary lesson for her to keep her temper under control.”
He said the couple had reconciled and her partner was at court.
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