SAMUEL CIORNEI'S HORRIFIC CRIME IN BARRHEAD: ROMANIAN SEX OFFENDER SENTENCED FOR ATTACK ON TEENAGE GIRL

In November 2017, a disturbing case unfolded in Barrhead involving a Romanian man named Samuel Ciornei, who was convicted of a heinous sexual assault against a 14-year-old girl. The incident took place shortly after Ciornei’s arrival in the United Kingdom, having only been in the country for three weeks before he committed this violent act.

According to court proceedings held at the High Court in Glasgow, Ciornei, aged 20 at the time, targeted his young victim while she was cycling to a local supermarket, Asda in Barrhead, Renfrewshire. The girl was on her routine trip to buy sweets when the assault occurred. The court heard that Ciornei watched her as she approached the store, and after she entered, he deflated her bicycle’s tyre, effectively trapping her. When she returned to her bike, she found it had a flat tyre, and she proceeded to push it to the nearby Iceland supermarket car park to inspect the damage.

It was at this moment that Ciornei approached her, offering to help with the flat tyre. The court described how he appeared to gesture for her to accept assistance, and he claimed not to speak much English. He then took her bike, removed the dust cap from the tyre, and secretly produced a jagged piece of brown glass from his pocket. Within seconds, he pressed the glass to her throat, grabbed her hair, and forcibly dragged her into nearby bushes.

The assault that followed lasted approximately seven minutes. The girl, overwhelmed with fear, was subjected to a sexual attack that has left her with ongoing emotional trauma. The court was told that her ordeal only ended when Ciornei demanded money from her. She managed to gesture towards her bag, which he forcibly took from her. Seizing the opportunity, she broke free and ran to seek help. CCTV footage confirmed that Ciornei was seen directing or pushing her into the bushes before disappearing from view. Moments later, she was seen emerging from the bushes, breaking free from his grasp, and fleeing the scene.

During the trial, Ciornei, who was giving evidence through an interpreter, claimed that his actions were motivated by an intent to steal her bike, which he believed was abandoned or unclaimed due to its flat tyre. He admitted to kissing her but denied any sexual assault. The court, however, found him guilty of rape on August 7, 2016, and he was subsequently sentenced to nine years in prison. Judge Kenneth Maciver described the attack as both disgusting and disgraceful, emphasizing that the victim was an entirely innocent and unsuspecting young girl out cycling on a quiet summer evening.

The judge also highlighted the premeditated nature of the crime, stating that it was no chance encounter but a planned attack. He pointed out the suspicious timing of the flat tyre and the quick approach of Ciornei, who was seen offering help shortly after the girl stopped to check her bike. The court was told that Ciornei posed a high risk of causing harm to women, and he was branded as such.

Furthermore, Judge Maciver ordered that Ciornei be compulsorily returned to Romania at the conclusion of his sentence. The court heard that the victim continues to suffer from emotional trauma as a result of her ordeal. Ciornei, who had previously worked as a shepherd in his home village after leaving school, had only arrived in Scotland on July 19, 2016, and was residing with family members in Barrhead at the time of the attack.

He remains on the Sex Offenders’ Register and has expressed his intention to return to Romania once he completes his sentence. The case has left a lasting impact on the community of Barrhead, highlighting the dangers of predatory behavior and the importance of vigilance in public spaces.