Police had charged murder suspect with domestic violence seven years ago

Murder victim Chantelle Chetcuti had filed a domestic violence report seven years ago and the Police had charged her then partner Justin Borg.

This was the only report she had filed on her partner, the police said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The case goes back to 2013, and the Police charged the man with domestic violence. The legal procedures eventually concluded in a sitting of the family court on 3 June, 2013,” the statement read.

The police were responding to claims that Chetcuti had filed numerous reports against her ex-partner, which the police said was not the case.

“The police corps would like to make it clear that the fight against domestic violence was, is and will continue to be a priority for the police.”

Her ex-partner, Justin Borg, was charged this morning with wilful homicide following the stabbing, which occurred on Sunday night. Chetcuti, who had recently broken up with Borg, was stabbed in the head in the vicious attack. A police statement stated that she later succumbed to the injuries she suffered at Mater Dei hospital.

Her death prompted an impromptu protest organised by various civil society activists, calling for an immediate solution to femicide and domestic violence.