Court refuses to drop charges against man who threatened to kill wife
Man threatened wife in presence of minor, breached three sets of bail conditions
A woman’s request to drop the charges against her husband was not accepted after the court took into consideration that she scored high on the risk assessment.
The woman took the witness stand on Monday, requesting that no criminal action be taken against her husband of five years.
The man, a 33-year-old Libyan national living in Qrendi, was charged with causing the woman fear that violence would be used against her in the presence of a minor.
He was also accused of threatening and insulting the woman, and breaching three sets of bail conditions.
The man was further charged with stealing the woman’s panic button and recidivism.
The court heard how the pair, who were married according to the Islamic marriage rite, have a drug issue.
The woman had filed previous reports alleging domestic violence, with the latest being the one that led to these charges when he allegedly threatened to kill her.
The woman alleged that the man stole her panic button, but later she testified that she found it and also confirmed that she still reached out to the accused after reporting him to the police.
The woman also told the court that she was going crazy without the accused, insisting that they threatened each other when on drugs, but they never hurt each other.
After hearing that the woman scored a high result on the risk assessment, with the prosecution clarifying that it indicated that there was a risk she could be killed, the court dismissed the woman’s request to drop the charges.
A bail request was rejected since the man has no alternative address, and the pair live together.
Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo presided.
AG lawyer Nicholas De Gaetano prosecuted, assisted by police inspectors Carlos Cordina and Christian Cauchi.
Lawyer Nicholas Mifsud appeared for the accused.