A man is now facing serious assault charges after he allegedly strangled his subtenant in Dublin, Ireland, but the victim remarkably survived by playing dead and making a desperate SOS call. According to People, Donatas Jankauskas, 44, stands accused of assaulting the woman, resisting arrest, and criminal damage, though he denies all the charges.
The incident reportedly unfolded on Saturday, May 30, at a rented home in Santry, a neighborhood in the Irish capital. Jankauskas, who was the main tenant, had sublet a room to the woman for about a year. Just after 4:00 AM local time on that Saturday, police received a frantic phone call from the woman.
She was reportedly “screaming” down the line for assistance, which must have been an incredibly distressing moment for her. Four police officers quickly responded and met the victim, who was understandably in a state of shock and distress. Officer Sean Lally later told the city’s District Court that the woman’s room appeared ransacked, with a broken mirror and a damaged bed. She also had visible facial bruising, which paints a grim picture of the alleged assault.
She had to play dead just to survive a late-night attack
According to the woman’s statement, delivered to the police through a Turkish interpreter, the terrifying encounter began when there was a knock on her door. Jankauskas then allegedly barged into her room and “swung her around so her back was to his chest.” She recounted how he put his arm around her, “choking her and causing her to lose breath.” The truck driver then allegedly threw her at the mirror and the bed. In a desperate attempt to free herself, the woman tried to bite his finger.
It was at this point, with her life seemingly on the line, that she made a truly courageous decision: she decided to “play dead.” This quick thinking likely bought her the precious moments she needed. After pretending to be lifeless, she managed to activate an SOS call on her phone and screamed down the line for help. The entire alleged incident lasted around six minutes, and during that terrifying time, the woman told authorities she genuinely thought she was going to die.
Police found Jankauskas still on the property. He was allegedly intoxicated and aggressive, reportedly resisting arrest. Officer Lally stated that Jankauskas told him to “f*** off” and then kicked another police officer “with full force, causing harm.” During the court hearing on Monday, June 1, Officer Lally strongly opposed bail for Jankauskas. He told Judge Áine Clancy that the case involved “an extreme, harrowing assault by means of strangulation.”
The judge agreed, and bail was denied for Jankauskas, who is accused of assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest, and criminal damage. This dangerous neck-compressing violence recalls another alarming incident that resorted to choking. The victim did not attend the hearing and is currently living in temporary emergency accommodation, which makes perfect sense given the trauma she allegedly endured. Jankauskas is scheduled to appear at Colverhill District Court in Dublin on Wednesday, June 3.
The judge on Monday also noted that this case might even be moved up to the Circuit Court, which has significantly greater sentencing powers.
Published: Jun 2, 2026 10:00 pm