A ROMANIAN said to have just 12 months to live has been jailed this afternoon for seven years.

Vasile Mărgineanu, aged 34, attacked a woman and the man he thought she was having an affair with.

Mărgineanu, of Bridgend Square, Haverfordwest, admitted assault, false imprisonment and wounding.

John Hipkin, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that Mărgineanu had been in a relationship with Isnela Zimbru but formed the belief that she had begun an affair with Stephan Gherasim. All three had rooms at the same address.

On June 24 he burst into Miss Zimbru’s room while armed with a knife and told them they should look at each other for the last time as he was about to kill them both.

He then beat both of them with his fists and cut Miss Zimbru with the knife.

At one stage she managed to escape but Mărgineanu ran after her and dragged her back into the room where he resumed the beatings after locking the door.

“Using graphic details he repeatedly told them they were about to be killed,” added Mr Hipkin.

A man called Ben Popa arrived and managed to disarm Mărgineanu while Miss Zimbru ran into the street and begged for help from a passing motorist.

After his arrest police made inquiries in Romania and discovered that Mărgineanu had convictions there for attempted murder, robbery and aggravated theft.

His barrister, Craig Jones, told the court that Mărgineanu had been diagnosed in Romania with colon cancer. Doctors had told him he had 12 months to live and that he should make the most of them.

Judge Geraint Walters ruled that Mărgineanu should be regarded as a dangerous offender as defined by the law and passed an extended sentence of seven years.

He said Mărgineanu would serve a minimum of four years behind bars and should not be released until the authorities were satisfied he was no longer a danger.

In reality, added Judge Walters, Mărgineanu would be deported back to Romania while serving his sentence and it would be up to the authorities there to decide when to release him.

“You have the potential to cause serious harm and even death. It is a miracle your victims were not more seriously hurt,” he said.