One month jail for man who took 45 minutes to provide home address

Luciano Tabone, 58 of Birkirkara told the court that he had been evicted from his mother's home, soon after she died last year, and said that he was now living with his son.

He refused however to say in what locality and provide the address, telling the court that he would only give it "privately" to the Magistrate.

Tabone is facing a string of charges related to repeated default in alimony payments to his estranged wife.

He said that he does not have any access to money, but he promised to transfer his share of his mother's inheritance to his estranged wife.

Tabone explained that his brothers and sisters who are curators of the inheritance won't sign for him to take his monetary share, but would do so if they were sure that the beneficiaries were to be his children, given he has a history of drinking and gambling.

After 45 minutes of negotiations between his wife's lawyer, defence counsel and Magistrate Neville Camilleri, that it was decided that the only way to convince Tabone to assume his responsibilities at law and to respect authority,  was to jail him for one month for contempt of court..

He was also warned to have €10,000 ready to pay up to his estranged wife by February 28.