Man accused of threatening ex-wife breaks down in court after bail denied on daughter's birthday

A man accused of threatening his ex-wife broke down in tears in the dock after being denied bail on domestic violence charges.

The 38 year-old appeared in court before Magistrate Abigail Critien, charged with causing his ex-wife, with whom he has two children, that violence would be used against her or her property.

The man is understood to have been arrested after his ex-wife reported him to the police,  claiming that he had breached an order issued by the court handling their divorce. It emerged in court that while collecting his children from the woman’s custody he had allegedly said that he would rather kill her than talk to her.

After entering a not guilty plea, the man requested bail.

Legal Procurator Peter Paul Zammit, defence counsel, argued that the defendant had obeyed the court’s orders in the civil proceedings between the couple.

Zammit told the court that his client had ended up being held at the Forensic Unit in Mount Carmel Hospital after the arrest warrant was issued. He pointed out that a protection order could be issued to allay any fears of the defendant approaching the woman again.

But after hearing the bail submissions by both sides, Magistrate Critien ordered the man to be remanded in custody, due to the fact that the victim had not yet testified, which meant there was a risk of the defendant tampering with evidence.

“Am I going to prison?” the man asked after hearing this, before breaking down in tears. “It’s her birthday today,” he said of his daughter, before remarking that the woman “had warned me that she would ruin me,” as police officers attempted to calm him down.

The man’s weeping intensified when the court imposed a protection order in favour of the woman, pending the outcome of these proceedings. The court ordered that the man’s access to his children should remain unaffected by the protection order.

Inspectors Colin Sheldon and Christian Cauchi prosecuted.