A man was charged with grievously injuring his partner, assaulting her, insulting and threatening her. 

He was further charged with harassment, causing her to fear violence and wilfully breaching the public peace. 

The assault allegedly took place in the couple's Birkirkara home on Wednesday. 

On Thursday morning the woman went for an errand at a nearby pet shop and later stopped at a bar to buy cigarettes.

People at the shop and at the bar noticed her facial injuries and alerted the police. 

Officers went to the bar and the woman was taken to hospital by ambulance while her partner was arrested. 

Upon arraignment on Friday, the 35-year-old pleaded not guilty. 

His lawyer Martin Fenech rebutted the allegations, saying that the alleged victim had injured herself in a fall. "It was her fault," he said.

A request for bail was objected to by the prosecution because the victim was still to testify. They said there was great fear of tampering with evidence, while the nature of the offences was serious. 

In light of those submissions, the court, presided over by Magistrate Leonard Caruana, turned down the request for bail and upheld a request for a protection order in favour of the victim. 

The court also upheld a request for a ban on the victim's name to avoid re-victimisation. 

AG lawyer Jurgen Dalli and Inspector Colin Sheldon prosecuted.