Daughter forgives mother after being punched over boyfriend

A mother who punched her 31-year-old daughter over the daughter's choice of boyfriend, was conditionally discharged for a year after the daughter dropped her charges saying she was now in a position to agree with her mother's argument.

On 1 December 2011, Connie Camilleri, 31, told her mother Giuseppa, 58 about her new boyfriend, however upon hearing the name of the man, the mother strongly advised her daughter against dating the man, a convicted criminal.

The argument escalated to a point where the two came to blows and in the commotion the daughter was grievously injured. The incident happened at the family's residence in Rabat.

Taking the witness stand, the daughter forgave her mother for injuring her and stated she has no further interest in the case. She explained she now understands and agrees with her mother over the poor choice of boyfriend she was about to make.

"My mother was right but I did not see it at the time", Connie Camilleri told the court.

The man who causd the fight is convicted thief Gianluca Torres. The 39-year-old Sicilian is well known with the police having been convicted over multiple charges of theft, including a robbery from the Millennium Chapel last year.

Since 2006, Torres received a suspended sentence, five probation orders, and three jail terms. In 2006 he was imprisoned for 12 months and in 2012 jailed for a further 18 months. His last conviction was two weeks ago when he pleaded guilty to 11 thefts, an attempted theft and assaulting another man. He was imprisoned for three years and six months.

Taking into consideration the daughter's testimony, Magistrate Neville Camilleri found the mother guilty of assaulting the daughter and handed her a conditional discharge of one year.

Lawyers Veronique Dalli and Dean Hili appeared for Giuseppa Camilleri.