The tourist responsible for the inscription “Ivan + Hayley ’23” on the Colosseum in Rome last week has asked Italian authorities for forgiveness, according to the Daily mail.
The man has been identified as Ivan Dimitrov, 27, a Bulgarian national who works as a fitness instructor and delivery driver in Bristol, UK, and is also known as Ivan Hawkins. He was on a three-week vacation across Europe with his girlfriend, Hayley Bracey.
He was captured by fellow tourist Ryan Lutz use keys to engrave his name and that of his girlfriend on the outside wall of the ancient Roman amphitheater in a video that went viral after being posted on Reddit. Dimitrov realized he was being filmed when Lutz can be heard saying, “Are you a serious man? It’s fucked man.
In response, Dimitrov smiled at the camera and Lutz can be heard muttering “stupid asshole” as he walked away.
Unsurprisingly, the incident sparked widespread outrage online. Italian authorities used CCTV footage and hotel records to identify the couple, then launched a search that found them in Bulgaria.
Following his arrest, Dimitrov lost much of his initial bravado. “He expressed his sincere apologies and remorse for what he did,” Carabinieri’s Roberto Martina said. To post. “He told us he was very upset with what he had done. I think he was worried about the consequences of any trial.
“He was understandably worried about the legal implications, and it was all explained to him.”
Authorities said he will be tried next year and could face a sentence of two to five years in prison, as well as a fine of up to €15,000 ($16,300). Martina stressed that the investigation should be relatively quick and simple thanks to the solid evidence provided by the video.
Dimitrov’s 33-year-old girlfriend has so far not been charged. “The girl is not part of any complaint, so she’s an innocent party as far as we’re concerned, although technically she could be considered an accomplice,” Martina said.
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