Savage injuries of woman slashed as she slept at home

Jadwiga Marek was lucky not to lose an eye in the attack, and needed 30 stitches and an hour of plastic surgery on her wounds.

But brave Jadwiga described herself as "lucky" today.

The Polish national, who has been living in Dublin for three years and works as a chef, was attacked last Thursday in her apartment in Loftus Court on Parnell Street.

She was allegedly attacked as she slept in her bed.

One of the cuts to her face stretches four inches from her cheek to her lip. Another one travels from the corner of her lip to her ear. And a deep gash runs from over her left eye across her nose. Jadwiga also has a three-inch defensive wound to her hand where she tried to fend off her attacker.

"I'm lucky because I didn't lose my eye," said Jadwiga. "At the least I thought my eye was gone," she added.

"And somehow there hasn't been any nerve damage, just stitching and scarring," Jadwiga explained bravely.

"Because I can move my cheeks the doctors know there is no nerve damage, At least I'll be able to smile again," she added.

"A lot of people have been very supportive of me here in Ireland over the past week since this happened. I want to especially think my flatmate and friends and workmates," she said.

A man was arrested in nearby Belvedere Place shortly after the attack and was taken into garda custody. He is believed to be a Polish national.

cfeehan@herald.ie