Pensioner who injured his wife remains unpunished as criminal complaint is withdrawn

A pensioner escaped punishment for slightly injuring his wife in a domestic dispute after the woman dropped the charges against him.

The 61-year-old man was also accused of breaching the peace and insulting or threatening the woman.

At the start of proceedings, Inspector Trevor Micallef asked the court to provide for the safety of the victim, while defence lawyer Franco Debono entered a not guilty plea on the accused’s behalf.

But the case stalled on the starting grid when the woman’s lawyers informed Magistrate Monica Vella that the woman was withdrawing the complaint against her husband as she had forgiven him.

The charges could only be prosecuted on the complaint of the injured party and so the court had no option but to order that the proceedings end there.

The prosecution consequently informed the court that it had no evidence to produce as the woman was not going to testify. The defence declared that the accused was prepared to submit to any orders of the court.

“Your wife is saying that she doesn’t want proceedings to continue,” said Magistrate Vella. “Today the court is giving you a chance, but know that your wife will not come here again with a similar case and obtain the same outcome,” the magistrate warned.

Lawyers Alfred Abela and Marie Elise Agius appeared as parte civile for the victim, while lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia were defence counsel.

The court ordered a ban on the publication of the names of the parties.