A jury has rejected a murder suspect's plea that he was legally insane when the crime was committed.

Michael Emmanuel, 29, is accused of murdering his 35-year-old partner Maria Lourdes Agius in September 2018. He had pleaded legal insanity when proceedings started against him, but the plea was challenged by the Attorney General. 

The jury on Friday threw out the legal insanity plea.

As a result, Mr Emmanuel will now appear before the Magistrates Court, where the compilation of evidence against him will resume.

Mother-of-seven Ms Agius was found dead in her bed with heavy bruising around her neck. Mr Emmanuel had reported to police that she was not waking up.

Police investigators told the court that during interrogation, Mr Emmanuel said that on the night of her murder, Ms Agius told him he was not the father of her youngest child.

Later that night, she had put a crucifix on her neck and asked him to “press a little”, Mr Emmanuel allegedly told officers.

Mr Emmanuel had filed a not guilty plea and argued that he was legally insane at the time of the murder.

Earlier this week, a psychiatrist testified that Mr Emmanuel had some delusions of grandeur and appeared to be paranoid about his partner.

The psychiatrist said he appeared to be suffering from “acute psychosis and was therefore insane according to the Criminal Code”.

The defence gave notice of appeal.

Lawyers Matthew Xuereb and Charles Mercieca and Inspector James Grech prosecuted.