No bail for Tunisian accused of beating wife

The 31-year-old man, whose name is being withheld to protect the identity of his wife, pleaded not guilty to charges of seriously injuring his wife, threatening her and causing her to fear that violence will be used against her.
 
The woman attended the sitting this morning, her right eye encircled by a bruise and the lacerations on her face closed with butterfly stitches.
 
Prosecuting officer Inspector Godwin Scerri told magistrate Miriam Hayman that he was informed that the incident had taken place at the couple’s apartment in St Paul's Bay early on Monday morning. It is understood that the couple's four-year-old daughter saw the beating take place.
 
The court appointed Dr. Mario Scerri to examine the woman's injuries, also accepting the defence’s request that the expert also examine the defendant for bite marks.

Defence lawyer Stefano Filletti requested bail for the accused, however Inspector Scerri objected, due to fears that the accused would tamper with evidence or flee the islands altogether.
 
Lawyer Franco Galea, representing the woman in parte civile, told the court that this incident was one of several, less serious, incidents which had taken place in Malta as well as in Tunisia, but had not been reported to the police.

Filletti retorted that the lack of reports meant that the claims were not supported by evidence.

Choosing the middle road between the two requests, the court did not grant bail but also informed the prosecution that it is to produce all of its vulnerable witnesses to testify at the first sitting.