Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1463840
NEWS 4 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 6 APRIL 2022 MATTHEW AGIUS A 28-year-old man from Bormla has pleaded not guilty after being arraigned under arrest, accused of beating his pregnant partner with a broom handle. The violent attack took place at the woman's home in Valletta, with the defence alleging that the man had been attacked with a pair of scissors. The man, a delivery driver and security guard, whose name is subject to a court-im- posed reporting ban, appeared before magis- trate Gabriella Vella this afternoon, accused of attempted grievous bodily harm, causing slight injury and attacking his partner with whom he is expecting a child. Inspector Eman Hayman told the court that the police had been called to the scene by by- standers on 3 April, after the woman was seen running out of her home in Valletta, scream- ing and bleeding profusely from a head wound. The man was taken into custody, he said, where he had told the police he had acted in self defence as the woman had attacked him with a pair of scissors during an argument. The accused had also suffered slight injuries, his defence lawyer told the court. The couple have children between them and are expecting another child, the court heard. Lawyer Francesca Zarb entered a plea of not guilty on behalf of the accused and requested bail, with the prosecution objecting due to the risk of the accused tampering with evidence. The parties were still communicating, said the inspector, pointing out that the defendant was also accused of breaching previous bail condi- tions. Zarb said the man would be residing with his mother if bail were to be granted. The moth- er took the witness stand to confirm this and provide her address, which is also in Bormla. The defence also submitted that no protec- tion orders had been imposed and the breach of bail still had to be proven. Magistrate Gabriella Vella, after hearing the submissions, upheld the request for bail, re- leasing the man from arrest, on condition that he does not contact prosecution witnesses, signs a bail book three times a week and re- sides with his mother. He was forbidden from entering the street in Valletta where his part- ner resides. Bail was secured by a €1,000 deposit together with a personal guarantee of €5,000. A protection order in favour of the woman was also imposed. Lawyers Franco Debono and Francesca Zarb were defence counsel. Man accused of attacking pregnant partner with broom handle A Nepalese motorcycle food couri- er has admitted to failing to obey police orders, together with a slew of driving offences, after evading a roadside police checkpoint and leading officers on a car chase. Inspector Chirstabelle Chetcuti charged 30-year-old Shree Kr- ishna Pangeni with a total of 11 offences, including driving under the influence of alcohol, danger- ous driving and driving a scooter without a driving licence or in- surance. He was also accused of damaging a police car. Magistrate Gabriella Vella heard the inspector explain how the man, who also had a passenger on his bike, had been flagged down by police on the Birkirkara bypass during the night of 3 April. Pangeni had failed to stop, how- ever, and instead had tried to flee, damaging a police car in the pro- cess. A roadside breathalyser test was conducted, and the accused was found to be over the drink driving limit. He was arrested on the spot, said the inspector, add- ing that he had cooperated with the police after his initial escape attempt. The man had admitted guilt during interrogation and had re- leased a statement, after refusing to consult with a lawyer. Lawyer Mark Mifsud Cutajar, appointed as legal aid counsel to the accused, told the court that the accused was admitting the charges. The court informed the parties that it would not be delivering judgement today but said that the man could request bail until sen- tenced.. Mifsud Cutajar asked that his client be released on bail, empha- sising the man's early guilty plea and the fact that he was a first time offender. "The offences are mainly traffic-related," submitted the lawyer. The prosecution said it would not object to bail as long as strin- gent conditions were imposed. Magistrate Vella released the man on bail, ordering him to de- posit his passport in court and sign a bail book every day. Com- pliance with his bail conditions was secured by a personal guar- antee of €5,000. Before the court adjourned the case to Monday for sentencing, Mifsud Cutajar appealed to the magistrate to bear in mind the fact that the accused was a de- livery driver and his income de- pended solely on this form of em- ployment when sentencing the man. Motorcycle courier charged with drunk driving after evading roadblock A 28-year-old man charged with attacking pregnant partner is released on bail