A British dad who left his girlfriend for a Ukrainian refugee has given up work to become her full time carer.
Tony Garnett, 29, said it was the “right thing to do” after his new lover Sofiia Karkadym, 22, went partially blind.
The refugee suffered an eye infection in Germany en-route to the UK after fleeing her home in the city of Lviv under Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion.
Tony explained how Sofiia’s condition, similar to an amoeba, has damaged her vision and said she now needs six months to recover after surgery in England.
The couple are now living together in Bradford, West Yorkshire, after Tony split from his longterm girlfriend Lorna, 28.
Earlier today, he revealed that he is no longer allowed to see his kids.
Defending their new relationship, Tony insisted Sofiia is “no homewrecker” and that she has been unfairly accused of breaking up his relationship when they fell in love.
Tony Garnett with ex Lorna
The dad, who owns his own security company, became Sofiia’s sponsor and left his partner and children just over a week after she arrived at their home.
“People are painting her as a villain who has come to the UK and stolen a British man. Nothing could be further from the truth. It was a mutual decision,” he told the Metro.
“It wasn’t as if we had met each other and decided then and there to move out. I was leaving regardless, because I’d had enough of Lorna who took against Sofiia straight away.
“There was a lot of drama and a lot of stress when we lived with Lorna.
“I just wanted to take Sofiia away and look after her, I wanted to help someone who was fleeing from Ukraine. She’s not a homewrecker.”
Despite facing a torrent of online abuse every day, Tony said the new couple are doing “brilliantly” together.
However the pair have faced financial difficulties following Sofiia’s eye operation.
Sofiia needs six months to recover from her op ( Image: Instagram)
Tony said “a weight has been lifted off our shoulders” after they moved out of the home he shared with Lorna and into their own place.
They initially moved out to his mother’s home where he said they found the spark that led to global headlines before moving into rented accommodation and taking in a Bengal cat.
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