Man jailed for 25 years after admitting to stabbing wife to death with scissors

A 60-year-old Hungarian man is jailed for 25 years after pleading guilty to having stabbed his partner to death with a pair of scissors in November 2012

A Hungarian man has been jailed for 25 years after he pleaded guilty to having stabbed his partner to death with a pair of scissors in November 2012 at a St. Paul's Bay apartment.

60-year old Laszlo Nandor Marton had originally denied committing the wilful homicide his Hungarian partner, Yvette Gajda, 60 times with a pair of scissors, but had changed his plea to guilty last Monday, before the beginning of his trial by jury.

Gajda died at the scene as a result of the wounds, having suffered massive blood loss.

The murder is said to have been carried out after an argument erupted between the accused and the victim. Media reports from the time say that at one point, the victim is said to have grabbed a pair of scissors that were lying on a bed nearby and Marton then snatched the scissors from her and stabbed her on her head, neck, shoulders, and back, over 60 times in all.

Marton had been arrested at the scene of the crime, where he was reportedly found hugging his wife's blood-soaked body, himself nearly unconscious from a number of self-inflicted stab wounds.

Making reference to the 2002 case against Mario Camilleri, Judge Antonio Mizzi noted that an admission before a trial by jury begins does not necessarily mean that the corresponding sentence would be less harsh, especially in cases where the accused was caught red-handed.

With this in mind, and in view of his admission of guilt, the Criminal Court handed Marton a sentence of 25 years' effective imprisonment, also ordering him to foot the €6,450 bill for costs.