Man charged with assaulting his wife, bail denied
A 50-year-old man from Zebbug was yesterday remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to assaulting his wife on Monday morning.
The man was charged with having injured the woman, having insulted and threatened her, breaching the peace and relapsing.
Magistrate Neville Camilleri heard how the man allegedly punched his wife, causing her injury to her nose. He was presented with a medical certificate to this effect.
Inspector Roderick Agius, prosecuting, objected to the accused’s request for bail, pointing out that the assault had taken place in front of foster parents who are entrusted with taking care of the couple’s three children. It argued that the man could possibly approach the witnesses.
The prosecution added that this was not the first violent incident involving the accused and his wife. The man had previously confessed to beating his wife while he was drunk. The woman had forgiven him.
Defence lawyer Patrick Valentino insisted that his client should be granted bail, pointing out that the woman, who was present in the courtroom, bore no signs of violence. The lawyer said that, apart from the grievous bodily harm charge, the other charges were not serious.
In the end the court agreed to deny bail but urged the prosecution to present all its evidence at the first hearing so that the court would reconsider the bail request.