76-year-old man pleads guilty to attacking his wife
He threatened to burn her alive
A 76-year-old man was handed a suspended sentence on Monday after pleading guilty to attacking his wife during an argument.
The incident happened early on Monday morning.
The prosecution said the man, who lives in Hamrun, had returned from hospital where he had been visiting his brother, who is ill with cancer. When his wife asked him how his brother was, he said he did not want to talk about it, and instead began insulting her and threatened to burn her alive. He then grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her into the bedroom.
The woman called the police.
When questioned at Hamrun police station, the man denied the claims. But after consulting his lawyer in court, he pleaded guilty.
Magistrate Caroline Farrugia sentenced him to a year in prison suspended for two years. She also issued a restraining order in favour of the victim and ordered a ban on the publication of the names of both the victim and the accused.
Inspector Christian Cauchi appeared for the prosecution. Lawyer Sarah Ciliberti acted as legal aid for the accused.