Man charged with harassing estranged wife for incurring debts

A man charged with harassing his estranged wife and her lover was driven to drink by creditors after the woman ran up massive debts, a court was told this morning.

Louis Lia, 46, from Cospicua, appeared before magistrate Neville Camilleri, charged with harrassing Mary Grace Lia and Alfred Attard in 6 separate incidents since July.

Inspector Josric Mifsud explained to the court that Louis Lia's wife had abandoned the matrimonial home to live with Attard. The accused would repeatedly attempt to convince his wife to file for separation, but she would refuse, explained the Inspector. He had been arrested on the 20th of August, after allegedly pelting the woman's house with garbage, whilst drunk.

Defence lawyers Jason Azzopardi and Kris Busietta entered a plea of not guilty on behalf of the accused.

He told the court that the defendant had been begging his wife to start separation proceedings for some time, but she had always ignored him. The accused, who had been seeking work for 8 years, found out that his estranged wife had run up massive debts, for which he, as her husband at law, was also liable, explained the lawyer. Under pressure from creditors, he turned to the bottle, the court heard.

“This is not a harassment case. After 8 years of unemployment, he finally finds work and then learns that his wife has put everything in jeopardy,” Azzopardi argued.

“Last Saturday, he was drunk, having sought solace in alcohol. He knocked at her front door and she didn't open...he kicked two sacks of refuse against the front door.” Last month, the woman's new partner had sent someone to beat up the slightly-built accused, added the lawyer, exhibiting a police report to this effect.

Azzopardi requested bail for the man, who he said, would bind himself to undergo treatment for his alcoholism at Sedqa and would not approach his wife's home.

The prosecution did not object to bail, however the inspector pointed out that it was the second time the Lia had been spoken to for causing a nuisance to the woman.

The court upheld the request for bail against a deposit of €250 and a personal guarantee of €5000. It prohibited the accused from leaving Malta, approaching prosecution witnesses, Mary Grace Lia or Alfred Attard. The accused was ordered to sign a bail book twice a week and follow an alcohol rehabilitation programme.