Suspended jail term for assaulting sister-in-law

Robert Agius, 29 of St Paul's Bay, was given a two-year jail term suspended for four and fined €900, after pleading guilty to grievously injuring his brother's wife.

On 10 August, at around 6pm, Agius assaulted his brother's wife Stephanie Attard with a kitchen knife during a family argument. Attard was recovered at the Mosta Health Centre where doctors certified her to be suffering from slight injuries. Agius was also charged with carrying an unlicensed weapon and breaching bail conditions.

The accused admitted to assaulting and stabbing the woman, however he claimed that he had acted in the heat of the moment and was blinded by anger. He explained that he picked a knife to scare off Attard, who was trying to get into his house. His mother tried to close the door to keep the victim out while Agius wielded the knife. "I do not recall touching her with the knife, and as much as I can remember the door was closed, however anger blinded me and I do not know exactly what followed," he said.

Attard suffered a superficial laceration wounds on her left hand and forearm. She also had a 2cm cut on her right forearm and grip marks over her left arm. However, neither of the wounds needed stitches and were deemed as slight injuries.

Taking the witness stand, the victim told the court she forgives her husband's brother. She also renounced her charges against the accused. However the police did not need the complaint of the injured party to continue with the case.

Magistrate Natasha Galea Scibberras found Robert Agius guilty of slightly injuring Stephanie Attard and breaching bail conditions. Agius was handed a two-year jail term suspended for four and fined €900.  He was ordered not to molest the victim but the court did not revoke Agius's bail over separate cases, nor did it order the confiscation of his deposit and personal guarantee.

Inspector Edmond Cuschieri prosecuted while lawyers Arthur Azzopardi and Kathleen Grima appeared for the accused.