A man who broke down the door of his girlfriend’s apartment, scaring her neighbour’s five-year-old son, has been jailed and has forfeited bail bonds totalling almost €31,000.

Ahmed Rasem Franko, a 35-year old Libyan currently awaiting trial over his alleged involvement in the murder of a Colombian man in Paceville last year, was handed a 14-month effective jail term upon conviction for wilful damage to third party property, breaching the peace and breaching earlier bail conditions. 

He was also found guilty of relapsing but was cleared of harassment since the prosecution could not sufficiently prove that accusation, given that the alleged victim refused to testify in court, claiming that she had forgiven the accused, but wanted him to keep away from her. 

The incident took place in August when the accused reacted violently when his girlfriend told him over the phone that she was at the beach with a friend of his. 

The man refused to accept the fact that the woman wanted to break up.

He stormed to her apartment, smashed the door of the common entrance and then broke down his girlfriend’s door, terrorising a neighbour’s young child.

Neighbours thought that it was an attempted robbery, they later testified. 

But their testimony based on that isolated episode, was not enough to confirm the course of conduct necessary to prove the violent harassment, Magistrate Gabriella Vella, observed when delivering judgment.

The other charges were, however, proved, said the court, condemning the accused to a 14-month jail term and forfeiture of €30,800 in bail bonds.

Once he has served his jail term, the accused must not approach his alleged victim for a year. 

Superintendent Trevor Micallef prosecuted.
Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri were defence counsel.