A man who allegedly threatened to “badly beat up” police officers who stepped in after being alerted to an argument between a couple at a St Paul’s Bay supermarket was denied bail on Friday afternoon. 

Antoine, known as David Monsigneur, 52, from Ħamrun, was arrested shortly after being involved in the argument at around 9pm on Thursday wherein a woman claimed that the accused reacted violently when she told him that she did not wish him to go home with her. 

The woman explained that Monsigneur had been staying at her St Paul’s Bay flat for the past three days. 

But on Thursday evening she had allegedly told him to stay away since her son was staying with her. 

That was when the accused allegedly hit her on the neck. 

When the police arrived, the man allegedly did not cooperate and kept up his aggressive manner even later when he was escorted to the police station, hurling insults at the officers and threatening to beat them up badly. 

He told one of the officers that he “would smash his eardrum,” said prosecuting Inspector Christian Cauchi. 

Upon arraignment on Friday afternoon, Monsigneur pleaded not guilty to slightly injuring the woman, failing to obey legitimate police orders, swearing in public, insulting and threatening the three officers, as well as breaching public order. 

He was also charged with relapsing and breaching previous bail conditions. 

During the hearing, the accused tried to explain that he and the alleged victim had known each other for 10 years and had got back together recently. 

“It was she who came to live with me not the other way round,” he said, interrupting the proceedings.

“I never lifted a finger,” he insisted.

The prosecutor explained that on Friday morning the woman had called the police to express her fear of the accused in case he was granted bail. 

After hearing submissions, the court, presided over by Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras, turned down a request for bail in view of the accused’s “very copious” criminal record and the nature of the charges. 

There was also a real fear of tampering, said the court, directing the prosecution to summon the alleged victim to the first hearing.  Lawyer Joseph Bonnici was legal aid counsel.