A man was today jailed four years and fined €1,000 for forcing a woman to marry an Arab so that he could get Maltese citizenship.

Keith Pace 30, of Marsa, pleaded guilty to threatening to seriously injure Dutch national Cettina Kok and forcing her to marry Abdalla El Ahmad.

Magistrate Giovanni Grixti heard that Ms Kok needed to make some money and Mr Pace suggested she marry someone in search of a Maltese citizenship in exchange for payment.

She agreed and was set up to marry Mr El Ahmad. But when she learnt that she had to give up her Dutch citizenship for Mr El Ahmad to get a Maltese one, she changed her mind.

Mr Pace and another man threatened to beat her up if she did not go through with the marriage and married Mr El Ahmad against her will out of fear.