Man accused of beating his girlfriend with broom handle, remanded in custody

A Żejtun resident has been remanded in custody by a magistrate after he was arrested for allegedly beating his girlfriend with a broom handle and holding her against her will.

39-year-old Nadim Mharam Abdul Gader Mharam appeared in court under arrest, before Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras this afternoon.

Prosecuting police inspector Audrey Micallef charged the Libyan with having, repeatedly and on several occasions, caused his Maltese girlfriend to fear violence and harassing her.

Mharam was further charged with holding the woman against her will on 4 and 5 December this year, slightly injuring her, attacking, insulting and threatening her beyond the limits of provocation.

He was also accused of breaching bail conditions, committing these offences during the operative period of a suspended sentence and recidivism.

The inspector asked the court to revoke the accused’s bail and seize his €15,000 bail guarantee, as well as to provide for the safety of the woman.

Explaining the circumstances which led to the man’s arrest, the inspector said that on 6 December, the woman, who had been in a relationship with the accused for two years, had reported him to the police after his behaviour became increasingly controlling and violent.

The woman told the police that she feared Mharam, reporting an incident where he had allegedly broken a broom handle in three and then beat her with it. During the assault, the woman said she had attempted to call the emergency services, only for the accused to seize her phone and forbid her from leaving the house.

A warrant for Mharam’s arrest was obtained and executed yesterday night, Inspector Micallef said.

Mharam pleaded not guilty during his arraignment. He told the court that he was unemployed.

The magistrate was told about the man’s criminal record, which consisted of a suspended sentence for domestic violence against the same victim and a conviction for breaching bail.

Lawyer Simon Micallef Stafrace, appointed as legal aid counsel to the accused, requested bail, arguing that the accused was prepared to guarantee that he would move away from the victim’s home town. The evidence would show that on the day before the alleged assault, the couple had gone shopping together, he added.

The accused also interjected, telling the court that the woman had gone to his house just yesterday. “The situation is fluid and not clear,” concluded the lawyer.

On the prosecution’s part, Inspector Micallef objected to bail on the grounds of preservation of evidence. The victim worked in the accused’s hometown, she said, explaining that there was a fear that he would commit another offence or abscond.

After hearing the submissions on bail, the court remanded the accused in custody, saying it was not satisfied that he could provide the required guarantees and that there was a fear of him tampering with evidence if released. However, the magistrate also ordered that the alleged victim be summoned to testify in the first sitting of his compilation of evidence.

The court also ordered a ban on the publication of the name of the victim alone, observing that the accused was not married to her, nor did he live with her and so his identification would not lead to hers.