A Moroccan national living in Italy was sentenced to 11 years in prison by a Como court on Thursday for stalking and permanently disfiguring his ex-girlfriend in two brutal acid and knife attacks — but shocked the courtroom by shouting from the dock to his victim, “I have to kill you. I’ll be out in three years anyway!”
As reported by Il Giornale, Said Cherrah, a 26-year-old Morrocan with a residence permit, ambushed his ex-girlfriend near her workplace in Erba on Nov. 23, 2023, despite being the subject of a restraining order for previous threats and violent behavior.
Armed with hydrochloric acid, he threw the corrosive liquid at her, causing severe and permanent injuries and scarring to her face. The attack was carried out despite a previous arrest and legal restrictions and was only stopped when nearby workers intervened after hearing her agonized screams. Cherrah was arrested on the scene.
Despite the nature of the offense, Cherrah was put under house arrest while awaiting trial. Unsurprisingly, the defendant ignored the conditions and in December 2024, revisited his ex-girlfriend and stabbed her in the back, leaving her wheelchair-bound.
At the time, his trial for the acid attack was already underway.
Cherrah arrogantly addressed the prosecutor during cross-examination, saying, “Don’t look at me like that” as he displayed little remorse throughout the trial.
The courtroom fell silent as Cherrah addressed his ex-girlfriend, who was present and confined to a wheelchair as a result of his previous attacks. In Arabic, later translated into Italian, he added, “Why aren’t you dead? I have to kill you, sooner or later I’ll get out.”
His threats prompted immediate intervention by prison police, who removed him from the courtroom to prevent further escalation.
Cherrah will soon face another trial for the December 2024 stabbing attack, in addition to serving his current 11-year sentence.
