Man denies sexual and domestic abuse against wife

A 45-year-old man living in Żurrieq has been remanded in custody after being arraigned under arrest on multiple sexual and domestic abuse charges against his wife and in the presence of a minor.

The man was charged before the court on Thursday with engaging in non-consensual sexual acts, harassment, instilling fear of violence, and using force, insults and threats within a domestic context.

The court heard that the offences allegedly took place over an extended period of time and were aggravated by the fact that they were committed against a partner in a shared household, with the couple’s seven-year-old son often present or within earshot.

The case came to light on 26 August when the alleged victim reported the abuse at the Santa Luċija domestic violence hub. She described incidents spanning several days: on 23 August, during their daughter’s birthday, the man allegedly grabbed her by the neck after she questioned why he had been late returning with a cake. The following day, after a phone call from relatives in Pakistan accusing the woman of stealing gold, the accused allegedly threatened to “kill her, her brother, and her mother” if she did not “tell the truth”.

A police risk assessment flagged the situation as one of “extreme danger” with further claims that the man forced himself on his wife in the presence of their young son inside their one-bedroom apartment.

The defence requested bail, presenting a photo of an address on the accused’s phone as proof of an alternative residence with friends. The prosecution objected, arguing that a picture was insufficient to establish a viable alternative address.

The court issued a protection order in favour of the alleged victim and denied bail, ordering that the accused remain in custody until the next sitting.

Inspector Colin Sheldon prosecuted the case on behalf of the police, with lawyer Jennifer Polidano appearing for the Attorney General. Defence lawyer Sara Celiberti represented the accused.

Magistrate Lara Lanfranco presided over the case.