A former international basketball player has been arrested after allegedly disfiguring his girlfriend’s face with 61 punches.
Igor Eduardo Pereira Cabral was remanded in custody after repeatedly punching the victim inside a lift on Saturday (26 Jul).
He was arrested at the scene after a security guard witnessed the attack unfold in real time on CCTV and alerted police.
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Juliana Garcia was rushed to hospital with multiple fractures to her face and jaw.
She is due to undergo surgery this week to reconstruct the damaged bones and remains unable to speak, communicating with police through handwritten notes.
Her lawyer, Caroline Mafra, told local media: “She suffered multiple fractures to her face – not to mention, of course, the psychological scars left by such a violent experience.”
In a statement to police, Cabral, 29, claimed he’d suffered a “claustrophobic episode” during the assault.
He also alleged Garcia had insulted him and torn his shirt moments earlier at their apartment block in Natal, Brazil.
However, Garcia, 35, said the row began when Cabral flew into a jealous rage after reading a harmless message exchange between her and one of his friends.
Garcia – a sales rep – reportedly told police: “He told me I was going to die and just kept hitting me non-stop.”
Cabral now faces trial for attempted femicide, as reported by Need To Know.
A professional 3×3 basketball player, Cabral represented Brazil at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China.
He is currently studying accounting and has children.
Police say he has a history of involvement in physical altercations and that Garcia had previously reported being pushed and subjected to serious psychological abuse.
The couple’s two-year relationship was reportedly marked by frequent breakups and reconciliations.
Garcia reportedly told investigators: “He’d been aggressive in the past, but I never thought it would come to this.”
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