A woman, who filed a police report after the umpteenth bout of violence by her partner on Wednesday was determined to drop her complaint on Thursday, telling the court she did not want to send him to jail but it was better if each went separate ways. 

The woman explained that her partner of three years or so was a supportive and caring person when sober but became an altogether different character when under the influence of alcohol.

And that appeared to happen at the weekend, said the woman, who was a mother of two adult children.

“It is best if he goes his way and I, mine. If this happens again he will either kill me or end up in jail. We cannot go on like this,” said the woman who took the witness stand during the arraignment of her 55-year-old partner, a Qormi resident who was arrested on Wednesday. 

The victim had filed her report after an argument between the couple turned violent and the man allegedly put a penknife to the woman’s chin. 

“He helped me when he could. I must say that in all fairness,” went on the woman, as the man at silently in the dock after spending the night at the police lockup. 

“But I wish the matter to start and stop here,” said the witness.

Her children had not witnessed the violent episode. 

“So are you saying that you intend to drop the charges,” asked presiding Magistrate Victor George Axiak. 

“Yes. I’m certain that I don’t want to land him in jail.” 

The man was on Thursday charged causing his partner to fear violence, insulting and threatening her, slightly injuring her and damaging her mobile phone. 

But faced with the woman's determined reply, the court minuted that the woman had stated that she wanted to stay the proceedings and had renounced to her criminal complaint, declaring the proceedings “exhausted”.

Inspector Omar Zammit prosecuted.