Man who pierced partner’s skull with screwdriver over custody feud jailed for 10 years

A man who viciously attacked his partner with a screwdriver and a pair of scissors in an argument over access to the couple’s children, has been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for her attempted murder.

Xandru Kristin Mamo, 25, of Xaghra, Gozo pleaded guilty to the heinous 2014 attack, which left the victim in need of delicate surgery to remove the screwdriver which was embedded in her cranium.

The woman suffered a number of other facial injuries as a result of the assault, which will leave her permanently scarred. A court expert classified the injuries as “very grievous.”

Mamo suffered from a personality disorder which caused him paranoia and depression and his symptoms were amplified by his drug use.

The court described his behaviour at the time as “chaotic and paranoid” although it noted that he had made great strides with the right treatment since then.

This reduced nothing from the gravity of the charges, which he admitted in their entirety, without making reference to or raising a defence based on his mental illnesses. A doctor also certified that he was capable of understanding the consequences of his actions at the time of the assault.

The court noted that although it was true that the accused had pleaded guilty, this admission came at the end of the compilation of evidence, before a potential jury trial would have been appointed.

He told police during his interrogation that he had gone to his partner’s house armed with a screwdriver and a scissors and broke down the door to the common area of her block of flats before, banging on her front door.

The victim had opened immediately and was attacked by the man with the tools he had in his hands. The attack occurred in the presence of the victim’s son who ended up traumatized by the episode.

It was the boy who brought the attack to an end.

Judge Edwina Grima, presiding the Criminal Court, noted that the accused explained that he had acted so violently because of an on-going custody battle between him and the victim.

“The court can never show mercy to those who feel they must use violence against their own family to achieve something they feel they have a right to; and that if they don’t obtain it civilly and legally this somehow justified them resorting to violence,” said the court.

Mamo was jailed for 10 years and fined €116.47. He was also ordered to pay €6,122 in costs.