A man who persistently stalked his former girlfriend was taken to court and denied bail on Monday, risking forfeiture of €21,000 in bail bonds on other cases.
Frederick Dalli, 36 of Cospicua, was arrested and questioned on Sunday, a day after the young woman, also on bail over separate proceedings, filed the umpteenth report to the police, claiming that her former boyfriend had been stalking her once again.
In court, Mr Dalli pleaded not guilty to causing his ex to fear violence, harassment and breach of a Protection Order.
He was denied having driven a Mercedes without a licence and insurance as well as breaching two earlier bail decrees.
Defence lawyer Mario Mifsud contested the validity of the arrest, complaining that the prosecution had added charges which were not mentioned during Sunday’s interrogation.
However, after hearing the prosecution’s version of events Magistrate Gabriella Vella, confirmed the validity of the arrest.
Prosecuting Inspector Eman Hayman explained that the police had long been receiving reports from the woman and were gathering evidence both in favour and against the alleged offender.
The woman, present in court for the arraignment, claimed to have found the accused outside her door on a number of occasions.
“For the past four months or so, the man persisted in following her footsteps. They had a relationship and he just wouldn’t give up. He kept turning up wherever she went,” Inspector Hayman said, prompting Dr Mifsud to point out that the alleged victim would often contact the accused herself when she needed help.
At one point, the court chided the accused for looking around and smiling. “There’s nothing to smile about. These are very serious matters,” said the magistrate.
“Now she has another relationship it seems and therefore things have taken a different turn,” Dr Mifsud continued, adding that the woman had also clearly breached a bail condition when she said she had been driving when she noted the accused on her tracks.
“Here we have a charge against Frederick Dalli but not against her for breaching bail,” the lawyer argued.
“I appeal to the prosecution …to be careful not to take sides. You spent an hour interrogating him on messages and phone calls and there was no mention of driving or violence,” Dr Mifsud persisted.
A request for bail was strongly objected to, Inspector Hayman pointing out that the accused was “totally untrustworthy” having disregarded earlier court orders and allegedly even following the woman around after curfew hours.
There was a real risk of tampering with evidence, the inspector concluded, noting that the woman allegedly found her ex “wherever she went.”
After hearing submissions by both parties, the court turned down the request for bail to make sure that there would be no tampering with evidence since the alleged victim was still to testify. The court made it clear that the woman has to testify at the first hearing.
Lawyers Arthur Azzopardi, Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri were also defence counsel together with Mario Mifsud.