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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Sam Ormiston

Dad-of-two who left partner for Ukrainian refugee plans to marry her and start a family

A dad-of-two who left his partner for a Ukrainian refugee after knowing her for just 10 days has revealed he now plans to make her his wife.

Tony Garnett and his family welcomed 22-year-old Sofiia Karkadym into their home in Bradford, West Yorkshire on May 4, as they played their part to help Britain's war efforts.

Within a fortnight of her moving in date, the security guard left Lorna and their two young daughters.

And he now has plans to reverse the vasectomy so that he can have children with his new lover, the MailOnline reports.

He has also given up his job to become her full-time carer as she is going partially blind.

Tom, who says he is currently banned from seeing his children, said: "I want to propose to this beautiful lady."

Jilted mum Lorna Garnett with her former partner Tony before he ran off with the Ukranian refugee they welcomed in to their Bradford home (REX/Shutterstock)

Meanwhile Sofiia admitted that the pair are making plans for the future, and that she wants to have children with her new man.

She said: "I am a young woman so it can wait a few years and I hope that Tony can have his vasectomy reversed so that we can become a family together."

Tony wants to do things the traditional way, and wishes to travel back to Ukraine so he can ask Soffia's father for his blessings and approval - he says out of a sign of 'respect'.

He added: "I want to say that out of Putin’s evil has come something really good for me and her."

Tony has the word 'King' tattooed on his neck, and he wants Sofiia to get one saying 'Queen' to match.

Sofiia said that she wants to be Tony's 'queen or his princess', adding: "I love him very much. I can’t wait for us to get married."

Sofiia Karkadym says she wants to be Tony's 'queen' after she fell in love with the security guard who welcomed her inside his family home (REX/Shutterstock)
Sofiia says she has been left upset reading some of the headlines which have branded her as a 'homewrecker', and insists she really is in love (REX/Shutterstock)

The pair have received some negative reaction on social media, but have picked up a combined 12,000 followers on Instagram since their story went viral.

Tony is not bothered by the criticism, and called out the 'morons' who have sent abuse online to him and Sofiia.

And when the news reached Sofiia's family back in Ukraine, some of her family members vowed never to speak to her again.

Sofiia explained that she was upset by some of the headlines accusing her of 'stealing someone's husband', and she fears that Russians will use her story as propaganda to show 'the Ukrainians cause trouble wherever they go'.

Sofiia admitted that the pair are making plans for the future, and that she wants to have children with her new man (Joel Goodman/LNP)

Sofiia arrived at the Garrett's household on May 4 after fleeing the city of Lviv, which was under attack from Vladimir Putin's soldiers.

She left behind her divorced parents, her stepfather and younger sister Elizabeth, aged 13.

Tony first picked Sofiia up from Manchester Airport, which is around 50 miles from their Bradford home.

The first thing Tony did was take her to a drive-thru McDonald's for a Big Mac, and the pair hit it off within days, realising they had a connection.

Jilted mum-of-two Lorna says her life has been "shattered" by the ordeal, claiming that she had reservations about letting refugee Sofiia Karkadym into her home.

She became even more concerned when their new housemate began wearing "low cut tops and red lipstick" around the house.

After two weeks Lorna snapped and kicked Sofiia out - but says she was left devastated when her partner of eight years went with Sofiia.

Lorna told the Sun : “She set her sights on Anthony from the start, decided she wanted him and she took him.

“I just don’t understand how he could throw all that away for a woman he’s known for a fortnight. The life I knew is shattered.”

Have you got a story to share? We want to hear all about it. Email us at yourmirror@mirror.co.uk

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