A man who spent a night at the police lockup after harassing his partner and running into trouble with police on Wednesday was granted bail on Thursday pending a pre-sentencing report. 

The 30-year-old Cospicua self-employed tattooist caused some commotion when he turned up outside his estranged partner’s family home at around 9.30am, insisting on seeing the couple’s minor child. 

The situation escalated when the woman’s father stepped outside to confront the accused. 

Police were called in and had to use a taser gun to bring the situation under control. 

The man was arrested and taken into custody. 

On Thursday, he was escorted to court, handcuffed and weeping, pacing nervously in the corridor outside the courtroom until the arraignment got underway. 

The man, whose name is not being published to protect the identity of the victim and the couple’s minor offspring, was charged with harassment and causing the woman with whom he had a relationship to fear violence. 

He was also charged with violently resisting two police officers during the incident outside the woman’s Paola home, slightly injuring his partner’s father, insulting and threatening the woman beyond the limits of provocation as well as breaching the peace. 

He was also charged with breaching a suspended sentence handed down last September, previous bail conditions and relapsing. 

After consulting his lawyers, the accused registered an admission, still weeping while his mother and another female relative sat right behind him. 

“Freedom is a privilege. The court shall grant it under certain conditions. If you breach any one of them, there will be serious consequences,” warned presiding magistrate Victor George Axiak after hearing the defence’s request for bail. 

Given that the accused had cooperated and pleaded guilty at a very early stage, the prosecution did not object to the request as long as the court provided adequate protection to the victim, said prosecuting Inspector Omar Zammit. 

“We fully agree to that and even suggest that he be supervised,” said lawyer Franco Debono. 

The court issued a two-year protection order in favour of the victim and her relatives, warning the accused that he was not to approach them in any manner, not even through social media or third parties. 

As for bail, the accused was to sign the bail book twice a week and not leave home between 10pm and 6am. He was also barred from going to Paola. 

“If you do, you’ll breach bail,” warned the magistrate. 

“That’s a court order and you must obey it,” added Debono, driving the point home.

Bail was also granted against a deposit of €500 and a personal guarantee of €5,000, until a probation officer prepared a pre-sentencing report about the accused. 

Inspector Omar Zammit prosecuted. Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Francesca Zarb were defence counsel.