LONGUEUIL, Que. - A judge used the word "barbarism" as he denied bail Tuesday to a man charged in an acid attack on his girlfriend.

Nikolas Stefanatos is accused after Tanya St-Arnauld was doused with concrete cleaner following a fight in the south-shore Montreal suburb of Longueuil in August.

"This is a very serious crime, which demonstrates gross carelessness towards physical integrity and towards women," Quebec court judge Claude Provost told the 27-year-old defendant.

St. Arnauld, 29, was attacked on the front steps of her apartment on Aug. 25. A boiler that stored the acid was sitting at the top of the stairs, and the scalding substance was dumped on top of the woman.

She suffered burns over 20% of her body, was wrapped nearly head to toe in bandages and lost her hair.

Stefanatos is charged with assault and assault causing bodily harm.

The defense had wanted the judge to free him so he could be treated for what the lawyer called a serious drug problem.