Man who beat up girlfriend in police station granted bail

A man who brutally beat up his girlfriend inside the Naxxar police station has been granted bail.

The 36-year-old from Cospicua was arraigned under arrest before Magistrate Audrey Demicoli yesterday afternoon, accused of grievously injuring the woman, attacking her, breaching the peace, insulting and threatening her and causing her to fear violence.

He was also accused of attacking a police inspector and two officers, insulting them and threatening them with a view to influencing them and disobeying legitimate police orders.

The man, who is not being named in order to protect the alleged victim, is understood to have repeatedly punched the woman in the street in Naxxar on 29 September, following her to the police station where she went to file a report, where he continued to beat her up in full view of the police.

He pleaded not guilty and asked for bail.

Prosecuting Inspectors Eman Hayman and Clayton Camilleri objected to the request, saying the accused was untrustworthy.

The woman had gone to the police station covered in blood, said the inspector. The accused had sworn in his presence that he would take revenge on whoever took steps against him, he added.

Lawyer Franco Debono criticised the prosecution’s handling of the case. “I would expect that the prosecution would say that the man had a hand wound at the time, caused by a smashed glass and that the woman had tried to make him crash on the Coast Road by grabbing the steering wheel, but no.”

“The first thing he did in front of the police was attack the woman,” said the inspector. “He drove from Naxxar to Cospicua. The journey itself should have given him opportunity to rethink the issue, but instead he hardened his resolve.”

The court granted the man bail against a deposit of €6,000 and personal guarantee of €8,000, ordering him to observe a curfew and sign a bail book every day.

Lawyer Amadeus Cachia also appeared for the man.