A Russian man was sentenced to four years in prison on Friday for attacking a woman in London in an attack that was witnessed on a video call and was reported to the police by the US president of Donald Trump son, Barron.
Matvei Rumiantsev, 23, was convicted by a jury on January 28 of assault causing bodily harm but acquitted of rape and strangulation. He was also convicted of perverting the course of justice for sending the woman a letter from prison asking her to drop her charges, the Associated Press reports.
During his sentencing at Snaresbrook Crown Court in east London, Judge Joel Bennathan said Rumiantsev was “completely remorseless” and “a man given to jealousy”.
“Your lack of insight and empathy was evident in the trial,” the judge said. “You keep trying to blame the complainant for everything that happened.”
During the attack, Trump, 20, was on a FaceTime video call with a womanwho has the right to anonymity under UK law, when she said she saw a man punching her repeatedly, Snaresbrook Crown Court in London was told in January.
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Rumiantsev denied the allegations and told the court he was upset when he accused the woman of calling Trump “dear.”
A transcript of an emergency call released by the Crown Prosecution Service revealed Trump’s call to emergency services about the alleged attack.
“I’m calling from the U.S. I just got a call from a girl, you know, she’s getting beat up,” Trump said in a transcription released by prosecutors.
“This was happening about eight minutes ago,” he continued. “I just figured out how to call someone. It really is an emergency.”
When the operator asked Trump how he witnessed the alleged assault, he said, “Uh, I got a call from her about a guy who beat her up.”
The operator asked, “How do you know him?”
“I don’t think those details matter, she’s getting beat up, but OK well, I also met her on social media. I don’t think that matters,” he said.
The operator asked Trump to “stop being rude” and “actually answer my questions.”
“If you want to help the person, you will answer my questions clearly and accurately,” said the operator.
After telling the operator that he did not know the name of the man who allegedly assaulted the woman, Trump said: “I’m sorry I was rude.”
Police went to the address and arrested Rumiantsev, a receptionist who lived in London.
Rumiantsev testified that he was jealous of Trump, but also felt bad for him because he thought his girlfriend was leading him on.
During the trial, defense attorney Sasha Wass said Trump did not know the woman had a boyfriend and asked how much he could have seen in five or seven seconds of video. She said the woman had used her ties to Trump to make her boyfriend jealous in a “drama-filled relationship”.
Trump did not testify in the case, but the judge praised him for reaching out to police and helping prevent something worse. He said the victim was afraid he would be killed.
“Mr Trump properly and responsibly, despite being in the United States, made sure that the emergency services were called here and he told them what he had seen,” he said.
The woman also told the court that Trump’s call to the police had helped stop Rumiantsev from killing her.
“He helped me save my life. That call was like a sign from God at that moment,” she said, according to court record.
— with files from The Associated Press
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