Man (37) repeatedly stabbed ex-partner after putting tracking device on her car, court hears

Eoin Reynolds

A man electronically tracked his former partner's car and put on a disguise while he followed her around Dublin before attempting to murder her by stabbing her in the neck, back and abdomen, the Central Criminal Court has heard.

On Monday, Det Sgt Mark Murphy told the court that the victim, Lucia Nezbalova (43), had the "extraordinary good luck" that a doctor who lived nearby had just arrived home from work when she heard screaming and came to help.

The doctor kept Ms Nezbalova alive until an ambulance arrived, he said.

The defendant, 37-year-old Pedro Cifali, a Brazilian with a former address in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, previously pleaded guilty to attempting to murder Ms Nezbalova at the front door of her home in Garnish Square, Waterville, Dublin 15, on May 10th, 2024.

In a statement written by Ms Nezbalova and read by prosecution senior counsel Shane Costelloe, she said she bears the physical and emotional scars of an "unthinkable" assault by her ex-partner and the father of her daughter.

She said she had to learn to live in "a body that no longer feels like my own" and now suffers post traumatic stress disorder, severe anxiety and depression. "This has been a painful ongoing battle to reclaim my life," she said.

Ms Justice Eileen Creedon will hear pleas in mitigation on behalf of Cifali on October 20th before passing sentence.

At Monday's hearing, Det Sgt Murphy told Mr Costelloe that the relationship between the accused and Ms Nezbalova ended in April 2024. Following the break-up, he placed an electronic tag under the bumper of her car which allowed him to follow her.

On the day of the attack, CCTV harvested by gardai showed Cifali arriving at a garage in Blanchardstown in his distinctive blue work van minutes after Ms Nezbalova.

He then tracked her to Blanchardstown Shopping Centre and parked about 100 metres from her car. He stood at the shopping centre entrance while Ms Nezbalova went to the McDonald's restaurant inside.

CCTV footage showed Cifali's attempts to disguise his appearance, Sgt Murphy said. He wore a baseball cap pulled down over his forehead, a blonde wig and his beard was lighter than its natural colour.

Members of the public noticed Cifali acting suspiciously and told security that he appeared to be carrying a knife. Security officers searched for Cifali but he left the area a short time later and travelled to Ms Nezbalova's home at Garnish Square to wait for her return.

She arrived about 15 minutes after Cifali. She would later tell gardai that as she approached her front door, Cifali appeared and told her: "Don't worry, I just want to talk." However, he almost immediately pulled out a knife and stabbed her.

The wound to her abdomen was so severe that her organs were visible, Sgt Murphy said. Doctors described her injuries as life-threatening and said her life was saved by the intervention of a doctor at the scene and surgery in hospital. She is undergoing ongoing treatment and requires further surgery later this year.

Cifali left the scene in his van. The following morning, he phoned a garda station and agreed to surrender himself. In interviews, he admitted to stabbing Ms Nezbalova and after being charged he indicated early on that he would plead guilty, Sgt Murphy said.

Mr Costelloe said the Director of Public Prosecutions puts the attempted murder at the higher end for such offences, warranting a headline sentence of 15 to 20 years. He said the offence was aggravated by the extreme violence and risk to life, the level of planning and premeditation and that it took place in the context of domestic abuse.

Mr Costelloe asked the court to take into account further charges of harassing Ms Nezbalova by stalking her and the production of a knife during an assault.

In her statement, Ms Nezbalova said she is a "survivor of an unthinkable act by my ex-partner, the father of my daughter."

He stabbed her in the neck, behind the ear, in the back of the head, in the stomach and arms and she suffered defensive wounds on her face and hands, she said.

She described her permanent scars as "cruel reminders of the violence that changed our lives". She was left in constant pain with limited mobility and struggled to carry out simple tasks, such as tying her daughter's shoelaces.

She said she was forced to return to work before she had fully healed because she is now the only provider for her children and lacks family support in Ireland. She said she is "terrified of being around people" and gets overwhelmed by anxiety.

The attack "shattered" her sense of safety in her own home. "What he destroyed cannot simply be rebuilt, it lingers in our everyday lives," she said.