Ivan Dimitrov, 27, was filmed carving his name and that of his girlfriend Hayley Bracey, 33, into Rome’s Colosseum with keys.
Having been filmed carving his initials into the historic Colosseum, a gym instructor from Bristol has issued an apology letter, expressing his lack of knowledge of the historical significance of the monument.
In a letter addressed to Roberto Gualtieri, the Mayor of Rome, Dimitrov expressed his apology and acknowledged the gravity of his actions.
He said: “Through these lines, I would like to address my heartfelt and honest apologies to the Italians and to the whole world for the damage caused to an asset which, in fact, is the heritage of all humanity.”
However, a representative from Rome city council criticized the content of the letter and dismiss his 'nonsense'.
'What nonsense and what a surreal letter. What level of education does this man have not to know the significance of the Colosseum?
'It's just an attempt to pacify - and if he was so concerned why take almost two weeks to write? Why didn't he apologise sooner? He must have known what he did as it was all over the world's media.
'We intend to pursue this through the judicial system along with the authorities at the Colosseum and hope to see an appropriate punishment when it comes to court.'
Lawyer Alessandro Maria Tirelli asked Dimitrov to write to authorities apologizing and expressing regret for what he had done.
'He thought he could get away with what he did in Italy, even knowing full well that if caught in England where he lives he would have been severely punished.
'On the basis of the letter and the words within it we hope to reach a satisfactory conclusion with the Rome prosecutor which will limit the fine and punishment.'
Currently, Dimitrov could face a fine of up to 15,000 euros and possibly two to five years in prison.
Dimitrov, who come from Bulgaria, and his girlfriend, a sports nutritionist.
On June 23, a bystander recorded a video of Dimitrov etching the names 'Ivan + Hayley 23' into the ancient stone walls of the 1,937-year-old structure using a set of keys.
The online community immediately criticized his actions. Many users emphasize the importance of holding him accountable. They expressed their hope that the man would be arrested and charged, considering that his face had been captured in the video.
Some individuals criticized the passive role of the girlfriend and suggested that she should have intervened to prevent her boyfriend's action.
According to The Telegraph, a Carabinieri officer shared that "It is just the man who is accused of scratching his name into the Colosseum, she is not part of the investigation."
Watching the video below:
