A man's pleas not to be sent to prison after he was charged with punching the mother of his child in the face, fracturing her nose in the process, went unheeded on Monday after a magistrate ordered that he be remanded in custody. 

Before magistrate Victor Axiak, 28-year-old salesman Tyson Bugeja, from Cospicua, pleaded not guilty to seriously injuring his ex-partner on Saturday when he repeatedly punched her in the face.

He was also accused of attacking, insulting or threatening the woman and causing her to fear violence.

Bugeja was further accused of breaching three separate sets of bail conditions, as well as with recidivism.

He had been accused of damaging an ex-girlfriend’s car and armed robbery in the past.

The court banned the publication of the woman’s name but turned down a request for the same ban covering Bugeja’s name.

Prosecutor from the Attorney General’s office, Cynthia Tomasuolo, and Police Inspector Colin Sheldon told the court that according to the ex-partner’s version, Bugeja knocked on the woman’s residence and when she opened, he demanded to know whether she was in a relationship with anyone else.

He punched her twice in the face, smashing her nose and then called for an ambulance.

The Domestic Violence Unit was informed that the victim had filed a police report from her hospital bed.

Bugeja was later arrested at his residence after the police obtained an arrest warrant.

He too was later taken to hospital after complaining of chest pains.

The same happened again in court on Monday when he suddenly complained of pain, with magistrate Axiak ordering that the arraignment be suspended and an ambulance called to court to examine the defendant.

The man threw himself to the ground, saying: “I don’t want to go to prison… I didn’t do anything. I’m tired of spending time in prison for nothing”.

Tomasuolo strongly objected to the man’s request for bail, telling the court that his criminal record was a testament to his character.

She also pointed to the early stage of the proceedings in which the victim had not yet testified.

Defence lawyer George Anton Buttigieg said his client had been on bail and a protection order had previously been issued in favour of the victim.

The woman had subsequently moved away from the address specified on the protection order.

He added that the injuries had not been inflicted by his client.

After considering all arguments, the court turned down the request for bail, ruling that it was not sufficiently assured that the defendant was trustworthy enough to be released.