A man who allegedly injured his wife during a row late on Sunday night, causing her to rush out of the family home wrapped solely in a bedsheet, was remanded in custody on Tuesday.

The 54-year old was taken to court and accused of unlawfully holding his wife against her will, causing her to fear violence, insulting and threatening her as well as assault.

He pleaded not guilty.

His lawyer requested bail but prosecuting inspector Omar Zammit objected because of the gravity of the charges which carry a maximum possible jail term of six years. He pointed out that the wife was allegedly beaten by the accused.

She was so scared that she  rushed out of the couple’s St Paul’s Bay home “wrapped only in a bedsheet.” 

He also pointed out that the couple’s children were still to testify and there was fear of tampering with evidence.

The prosecutor said that he had spoken to the woman shortly before her husband’s arraignment. She was so afraid in case he was granted bail, that she had moved out of their home and gone to stay with their daughter.

Defence lawyer Albert Zerafa explained that the accused and the alleged victim had been going through personal separation proceedings for the past year. Throughout their years of marriage, this was the sole incident of its kind.

The accused’s only brush with the law concerned some issue with the tax department, pre-dating 2017. His criminal record was clean. The house he lived in with his wife was his own paraphernal property, added the lawyer. Moreover, slight injury charges were normally dealt with under summons not arrest.

“His [the accused’s] criminal record shows that he never manifested any aggressive behaviour,” argued Zerafa, pointing out that the court could set  adequate conditions to stop the accused from approaching the alleged victim in any manner.

“The injuries are slight but let’s not downplay the charges,” countered the prosecutor.

After hearing submissions the court, presided over by magistrate Charmaine Galea, turned down the request for bail since the accused offered no alternative residence and also because of the real fear of tampering with evidence until the victim testified.

The court also issued a protection order warning the accused about the consequences he would face if he breached that order. The defence requested a ban on the parties’ names and the prosecution did not object. The court upheld the request.

Lawyers Jason Azzopardi, Kris Busietta and Alessandro Farrugia are appearing parte civile.