A husband and wife were separately arraigned on Thursday morning after a marital argument on Wednesday degenerated into violence which left them both scarred.

The 32-year-old mother of three, the youngest a nine-month old baby, was the first to be escorted into the courtroom, covering her cheeks seemingly to cover the dark red scratches over her face.

The woman pleaded not guilty to slightly injuring the man, wilfully damaging his car, assaulting and threatening him as well as breaching the peace.

Prosecuting Inspector Joseph Xerri explained that the incident had happened at the couple’s San Ġwann home, spilling out onto the street when the woman allegedly damaged her husband’s car with an iron bar.

The whole episode was allegedly sparked off by a row over the couple’s children, with the husband’s lawyer later claiming that the woman was making it difficult for him to see the children.

However, the woman’s lawyer claimed that the violence had been sparked by the fact that the woman wanted to go abroad for a family wedding.

Inspector Xerri social workers from Appoġġ had assessed the two as “high risk” for each other.

The 32-year old husband  listened while Inspector Xerri explained how he had allegedly followed his wife to her car and as she tried to drive away, punched her, dragged her out and kicked her, including in the stomach.

A request for bail was objected to since civilian witnesses were still to testify and evidence could be tampered with.

Upon a request for bail on behalf of the woman, Magistrate Joseph Mifsud, observed that such incidents of domestic violence did not only affect the couple but were also a public order concern.

He upheld the request for bail “but only out of respect for her children” and under condition of the woman not approaching her husband, as well as against a deposit of €200, a personal guarantee of €5,000, a curfew between 10pm and 7am and signing of the bail book twice weekly.

As the woman was led out of the courtroom, her husband, also bearing facial scratches, took his place at the dock, pleading not guilty to grievously injuring his wife, assaulting and threatening her as well as breaching the peace.

His defence lawyer Jason Grima argued that the two parties were facing almost identical charges and one had been granted bail. Moreover, the man had no criminal record, unlike his wife who had a couple of brushes with the law in the past.

After hearing submissions by both parties and after stressing that the mother had been granted bail solely on account of her minor children, the court turned down the request in respect of her husband.

Noel Bianco was defence lawyer for the woman.

While acknowledging the important role by the media in bringing such cases to light, the court pointed out that when one of the parties chose not to testify and withdrew its complaint, the court’s hands were tied, having to judge the case only upon the evidence available.

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