Judge rules man charged in acid attack to be tried in Longueuil

MONTREAL – The man facing charges in an acid attack against his former girlfriend will face trial in Longueuil.

A judge has ruled against Nikolas Stefanatos, who had applied for a venue change, claiming that he wouldn’t be able to get a fair trial in the Montreal area.

Due to the intense media coverage of the case, Stefanatos requested that the trial be moved to another court in Quebec, such as Gatineau, Sorel or Trois-Rivieres.

READ MORE: Man charged in acid attack wants trial moved from Longueuil – victim’s mom furious

Stefanatos has been detained since his arrest after Tanya St. Arnauld was attacked in Longueuil in August 2012.

St-Arnauld has been slowly recovering after Stefanatos allegedly threw an industrial drain cleaner in her face following an argument.

She suffered burns over 20 per cent of her body, most seriously to her head, arms and upper body. She has since undergone several painful skin grafts and medical procedures.

Thanks to an appearance on U.S. talk show, American plastic surgeons have agreed to help her with laser treatments to significantly reduce the appearance of her scars.

READ MORE: Quebec acid attack victim gets surprise on U.S. talk show

Stefanatos has a scheduled hearing on Tuesday to determine when the trial date will be set. The crown prosecutor does not expect a guilty plea.