Domestic violence cases scheduled for February of next year will be heard seven months earlier, Justice Minister told parliament on Monday.

In recent years Malta reported a massive backlog in domestic abuse cases, with some victims having to wait up to a year from filing a police report for their case to be heard before a magistrate. 

Earlier this year, Magistrate Abigail Critien was appointed to support the domestic violence caseload that previously fell solely on Magistrate Lara Lanfranco.

Providing an update on the matter in parliament, minister Jonathan Attard said hearings due in February 2024 will take place this July. He was replying to a parliamentary question by PL MP Amanda Spiteri Grech.

“There are now three sessions per week for summary proceedings of domestic violence cases and another two for compilation of evidence,” he said, adding that there was still more to be done.

Last year, Times of Malta had reported that nearly 300 domestic violence cases were pending before the one magistrate who was previously assigned to handle them. 

The court's backlog was flagged following the femicide of Bernice Cassar, who was shot dead on her way to work last year. She had reported her estranged husband to the police for domestic violence. 

He had allegedly held a knife to her throat on Mother’s Day, May 8 of 2022, but was not due to be charged in court for that assault until November 2023. 

Her estranged husband, Roderick Cassar, has been charged with murder and he pleaded not guilty.