An angry man who chased his bleeding girlfriend all the way from the Coast Road to Cospicua police station and then attacked her in front of police officers has been granted bail. 

The 36-year old Cospicua resident, whose name is not being published to safeguard the identity of his alleged victim, claimed in court that the woman had hurt him with a glass before he attacked her. 

He is pleading not guilty to multiple charges revolving around the violent episode that took place on Sunday evening after 8pm.

Prosecuting Inspector Eman Hayman explained how a woman whose face was covered in blood had entered the Cospicua police station, a little child in tow, to file a report against her partner who was allegedly responsible for her injuries.

The woman was bleeding through the nose and there was also blood around her eyes and other areas of her face, the inspector recalled.

Soon after, a man later identified as the woman’s partner entered the police station and immediately pounced on her, striking her in the presence of officers on duty who broke up the attack. 

“He drove all the way from Naxxar to Cospicua, which was quite a long way - sufficiently long for a person to change his mind - but still he did not. The first thing he did upon entering the police station was to beat her in front of the officers,” said Inspector Hayman.

The man was charged with threatening and grievously injuring the woman, threatening and violently resisting arrest, refusing to obey the orders of six officers, including Inspector Hayman himself, as well as breaching the peace.

A request for bail was strongly objected to by the prosecution, pointing out that what started out as a “futile and banal argument between the couple” had escalated and continued, erupting in further violence at the police station. 

The man was deemed untrustworthy and could possibly commit other offences if released from custody, said the Inspector, adding that the accused had vowed to pay back all those who took action against him.

However, defence lawyer Franco Debono, promptly rebutted that the prosecution had “conveniently” failed to mention that the alleged victim had smashed a glass on his client’s hand and had swerved his steering wheel, sparking the fight along the Coast Road.

“That’s where it all began,” said Dr Debono.

The court, presided over by magistrate Audrey Demicoli, thereby appointed a medical expert to examine the accused so to ascertain the injuries allegedly suffered. 

After hearing submissions by both parties the court upheld the request, granting bail against a deposit of €6,000, a personal guarantee of €8,000, a curfew between 10pm and 6am and to sign the bail book daily.

Inspector Clayton Camilleri also prosecuted. Lawyer Amadeus Cachia was also defence counsel.