CCF inmate fined €500 for phoning ex-girlfriend in breach of court order

A man accused of attempting to stab his ex-girlfriend to death has been fined €500 for phoning her from prison in breach of a court order.

Miloud Elforjani, 39, from Tripoli, was also placed under a treatment order for psychological problems he had developed as a result of the break-up.

Elforjani was remanded in custody last November after pleading not guilty to the attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend whom he allegedly stabbed multiple times.

Prosecuting inspector Audrey Micallef told the court that the woman was lucky to be alive as she charged Elforjani with breaching a protection order, issued last December, prohibiting him from approaching the woman and her five children.

But last March, Elforjani had made a number of phone calls from the Corradino Correctional Facility, where he is currently under preventive custody, to the woman’s number.

The calls, placed from a landline at the prison, were made over three days. Elforjani had asked to speak to two of the children in one of the calls, explained the inspector.

The woman had subsequently informed the police who requested the prison director block further calls to the woman.

During his interrogation, the man had admitted to making the calls, confirming this during his arraignment and pleading guilty.

Defence lawyer Daniel Attard told the court that the accused had called his ex because he still loved her.  The man needed psychological help to get over the breakup, said the lawyer.

Attard brought the court’s attention to the fact that the calls had come from a number which was not hidden and yet the woman had answered them and had spoken to him for several minutes.

Magistrate Rachel Montebello, after the accused had been given time to reconsider and had confirmed his plea, declared Elforjani guilty and fined him €500.

The court also issued a treatment order valid for one year in order to help the man get over his break up, emphasising that the protection order was still in force and that the accused could not contact his ex-partner “at all.”