A man who allegedly threatened his former girlfriend and her male friend at a Birżebbuġa restaurant on Thursday was released from preventive arrest on Friday. 

Emmanuel Zammit, a 33-year-old Freeport worker, was escorted to court and charged with harassing his ex, causing her to fear violence, slightly injuring her male companion, damaging third party property as well as sending threats over a mobile phone network. 

The man was further charged with stealing a car jack. 

The violent episode apparently followed months of harassment, the court was told, as the alleged culprit pleaded not guilty to the charges. 

The man’s lawyer, Albert Zerafa, made a request for bail which was not objected to by the prosecution so long as adequate conditions were imposed. 

The court, presided over by magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras, upheld the request, granting bail against a deposit of €500, a personal guarantee of €5,000 and on condition that the accused would not try to contact the alleged victims in any way. 

The court also issued a protection order in favour of the woman and her friend. 

Inspector Roderick Attard prosecuted.