Ex-inmate alleges degrading and inhumane treatment

After having been jailed for three years in 2006 for stabbing his wife, a 40-year-old man yesterday filed a Constitutional application claiming he had been subject to degrading and inhumane treatment while incarcerated.

Paul Caruana, of Żejtun, was jailed following his trial by jury in which he was acquitted of the attempted murder of his wife but found guilty of seriously injuring her.

In the application yesterday, which was filed against the Director of Prisons and the Attorney General, Mr Caruana claimed that officials within the prison subjected him to degrading treatment.

He was left for long periods without his necessary medication and given other medicines which he did not need. He also suffered mental abuse and cruelty.

His lawyer José Herrera said his client was left without dental treatment for a year-and-a-half when he was suffering badly. Furthermore, because of a personal rift with a senior member of the medical staff, that person victimised him.

The lawyer said the details would emerge during the case.

In the application he asked the court to declare that his client was subjected to inhumane treatment and to award compensation.

Lawyer William Cuschieri also appeared for Mr Caruana.