Man accused of injuring parents after demanding money to finance his drug addiction

A 31-year-old man from Gżira has been charged with assaulting and slightly injuring his parents at their home, where he had gone to demand money for drugs.

The incident happened on Friday night and the unemployed man was arraigned, under arrest, on Monday before Magistrate Gabriella Vella. He was accused of using violence, including moral violence, to force his parents to give him money.

Inspector Eman Hayman, prosecuting, also charged the man with slightly injuring his mother and father, causing damage to their property, attacking his parents and uttering insults and threats in excess of the limits of provocation.

The court was asked to provide for the safety of the alleged victims. A protection order in favour of the parents was requested, together with a treatment order for the accused.

The accused denied using any violence, repeating his denial from the dock.

Inspector Hayman took the stand to testify. The accused’s parents had gone to the police station, explained the inspector, reporting that their son would demand money from them every day to finance his drug habit. The amount he would demand ballooned from €20 to €200.

On the day of the incident, he had knocked on the door, saying he only wanted to eat. But once inside, he became violent, demanding money from his parents, snatching his mother’s handbag and injuring her.

In the lockup, the accused showed severe withdrawal symptoms and was taken to hospital on police bail, said the inspector. “The moment he was given police bail, not 10 minutes later, he left the hospital. Today, he missed an appointment at police headquarters, going to his parents’ house instead.”

Lawyer Yanika Bugeja was appointed by the court as legal aid counsel to the accused. She informed the magistrate that her client would be entering a plea of not guilty. 

Bail was not being requested at this stage, said the lawyer, explaining that the accused was not in a position to provide an alternate address.

The accused weakly told the court that he did have another address to reside in, but could not remember it.

Bugeja also requested the court to order that the accused receive medical treatment. The magistrate upheld the request, ordering the CCF administration to provide all the medical assistance required by the accused, particularly in view of his drug addiction.