Roddy Williams granted bail despite prosecution's objections

Roddy Williams - the man accused of having abducted his wife Natalie Williams and imprisoned her in a cave in Kalkara - was today granted bail by Judge Antonio Mizzi.

Despite the prosecution's objections to bail being granted, due to Williams having no ties to the community and being a flight risk, the judge released him on bail against a deposit of €30,000 and a personal guarantee of €50,000.

Williams faces charges which include attempted murder of his wife, violently engaging in sexual acts with the woman, holding her against her will, harassing her and causing her to fear violence, and slight bodily harm to his wife’s son. He is also charged with threatening police officers and breaching the peace.

The defence made the argument that all testimony in the case had been heard, and the accused was innocent until proven guilty.

Williams was ordered to sign the bail book at the police station, every day between 8am to 8pm.

Natalie Williams had on 26 February given a harrowing account of her husbands’ bullying, telling the court of the many times she had suffered beatings from him. She described how she had been powerless to refuse him sex while held captive in the dark and humid cave.

The defence also observed that Nathalie Williams had reportedly returned to her workplace two days after returning home from hospital following the alleged ordeal.

Williams' lawyer, Franco Debono, had been insisting for his client to be released from custody for more than three months, dismissing a psychiatrist’s concerns about the woman’s mental health. Williams had previously had several requests for bail denied on the grounds that the victim had not yet testified. Prior to giving her testimony, Natalie Williams had presented the court with medical certificates saying that she was unfit to testify.