Crystal Jardine showed photos of her black eye to the media, claiming she was punched by a stranger during her vacation in Cuba. CTV News
A woman from Ontario is speaking out after a frightening incident during her vacation in Cuba. Crystal Jardine, from Grand Valley near Orangeville, says she was punched in the face by a Canadian man at a resort in Varadero. Despite the violent attack, the man faced no charges.
Jardine and her husband left for their five-day vacation on February 28. They were hoping for a relaxing getaway but things quickly turned ugly. On their second day, the couple was sitting at a beach bar when a man approached Jardine and asked for a cigarette. She handed him one without hesitation.
Moments later, a woman accused Jardine of flirting with the man. Out of nowhere, the man suddenly punched Jardine in the face. The blow left her with a swollen black eye. The situation worsened when the man tackled her husband and began punching him repeatedly.
“The man was huge,” Jardine recalled. “After hitting me, he took my husband down and got on top of him.”
Resort security eventually intervened and pulled the man off Jardine’s husband. However, instead of detaining him or calling the police, they simply asked him to leave the premises.
Frustrated and in pain, Jardine demanded the police be called, but no action was taken. “My eye was swelling up, and I was begging them to call the cops,” she said.
Left with no choice, Jardine contacted the Cuban police herself. They informed her that if she wanted to press charges, she would have to remain in Cuba. To her disappointment, she received no information about the man other than the fact that he was Canadian.
“The resort wouldn’t give me his name or provide an official report of the assault,” she said. “All I know is that he was Canadian.”
After returning to Canada, Jardine reached out to the travel company she booked through. A spokesperson for the company stated that they were aware of the incident and were working with the resort and local authorities to investigate the matter. However, they did not offer further comments, citing the ongoing investigation.
Legal experts say Jardine has limited options. Since the assault happened in Cuba, she cannot press criminal charges in Canada. Criminal defense lawyer Joseph Neuberger explained that international law prevents her from seeking criminal action against the man in Canada.
“The jurisdiction is Cuba,” Neuberger explained. “Her only option in Canada, if she can identify the man, is to file a civil lawsuit for battery.”
Jardine, however, remains determined to see the man face justice. “It’s sickening that he can do this and just get away with it,” she said. “I want him to be held accountable.”
