An inmate at the Corradino Correctional Facility currently locked in a legal battle with prison authorities over his right to be granted leave to marry has been givenan additional six-month term behind bars. 

Yousef Essesi, a 28-year-old man who used to live in St Julian’s, is currently serving a jail term after being found guilty of the aggravated theft of jewellery, cash and other costly items from two Gzira residences back in 2014 and 2015. 

In March 2018, the man was also found guilty before a Magistrates’ Court of harassing a woman. 

While serving his term behind bars, Mr Essesi reportedly got into further trouble, fighting with fellow inmates. 

When testifying in the prison leave case in January, director of prisons, Alex Dalli, had told the presiding Judge that MR Essesi had allegedly been involved in a fight, “just three days” before the sitting. 

On that occasion, the court was told that prison leave was granted at the discretion of the prisons director. 

When testifying, Lt Col Dalli made reference to a series of instances of attempted self-harm and troublesome behaviour by Mr Essesi which had strengthened his decision to refuse prison leave to marry.

“I have nothing against him marrying but because of his totally undignified behaviour in jail, I decided not to grant prison leave,” explained Lt Col Dalli, adding that he had stuck to his decision even on the basis of an “inmate behaviour report” drawn up by a team of psychologists.

Yet, the man’s lawyers are insisting that that refusal effectively breached the young couple’s fundamental right to marry as well as the right to respect for private and family life. 

Furthermore, the treatment allegedly meted out to the man behind bars also amounted to a breach of his right to protection against torture, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, his lawyers Edward Gatt and Mark Vassallo are contesting.

The court, presided over by Mr Justice Grazio Mercieca, had called for “good sense to prevail,” and had also recommended that the couple be once again granted visitation rights. 

While that constitutional struggle continues, earlier this week, Mr Essesi was handed down judgment over another separate incident wherein he had threatened a prison official. 

The court, presided over by magistrate Nadine Lia, declared him guilty and condemned him to a 6-month jail term. 

Senior Inspector Hubert Cini prosecuted. 

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