Rabat man charged with threatening to kill wife

A 52-year-old man from Rabat has been released on bail this afternoon after being charged with threatening to kill his wife.

Inspector Matthew Galea, prosecuting, accused the man, who cannot be named due to a court order, of insulting and threatening the woman and with causing her to fear that violence would be used against her.

The married couple had previously been the subject of a risk assessment by the authorities but no temporary protection order had been issued, the court was told.

No further details about the case emerged from the man’s arraignment today, other than that the man had made death threats to the woman.

His lawyer, Patrick Valentino, entered a not guilty plea and asked for bail.

The accused would live at other address in another part of the island, said the lawyer. 

Inspector Galea told the court that he had no objection to bail as long as a protection order was issued and the man was made to sign a bail book regularly.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli granted the man bail against a deposit of €1,000 and a personal guarantee of €4,000.

He was ordered to sign a bail book twice weekly, observe the conditions laid down in the protection order and stay away from Rabat.