Man arraigned on domestic violence charge

A 46-year-old man has denied accusations of having assaulted his partner and threatened to kill her

A 46-year-old Romanian man has been released on bail this morning after being arraigned in connection with an incident of domestic violence that left his partner slightly injured.

Inspector Roderick Spiteri charged the man with slightly injuring his partner, insulting and threatening her. He explained that during a row, the man had said "I will f****** kill you," but added that this had been said in the heat of the moment. The woman's injuries consisted of bruises, he added, exhibiting a medical certificate to the court.

The accused had not consulted with a lawyer, nor had he engaged one. He asked the court to appoint a legal aid lawyer. Magistrate Neville Camilleri informed the accused that he was not entitled to free legal aid as he was gainfully employed.

Lawyer Mark Mifsud Cutajar, after consulting with the defendant, informed the magistrate that the accused was pleading not guilty to the charges. He requested bail.

The accused is in stable employment, argued the lawyer, and his continued detention would cause him problems. He had given police a signed statement and had cooperated fully. There was no apparent risk of the accused wanting to abscond, concluded Mifsud Cutajar.

The prosecution had no objection to the accused's temporary release from arrest so long as the accused provided an address where he would be residing. An alternative address was duly provided.

Inspector Spiteri requested that the court issue a protection order for the woman.

The court acceded to the request for bail, which it granted against a deposit €250 and a personal guarantee of €2,500, ordering him to sign a bail book every week. A protection order was issued in favour of the man's partner.