Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1544913
6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 13 MAY 2026 NEWS Probation order for man harassing ex-partner with 'I love you' messages and Facebook posts A 47-year-old man from Siġġie- wi was handed an 18-month probation order and fined €200 after admitting to repeatedly harassing his former partner through 100 messages and social media posts following the break- down of their relationship. The prosecution told the court that a report was filed by the accused's former partner on 9 May. The relationship had end- ed in February, although the prosecution noted that the cou- ple's separation was not entirely finalised and that they had re- mained intermittently involved. The pair also share a minor child together. The court heard that on 9 May, the accused sent around 100 WhatsApp messages to his former partner. The woman al- so reported a separate incident where several Facebook posts made by the accused, featuring their son, in which he tagged the mother and implied that if the child was not eating or sleeping properly, it was because of her. The victim also recounted be- ing told, "I didn't kill you, be- cause I love you." The woman al- so said that during an argument inside the matrimonial home in a separate incident, the accused had threatened her with a metal rod. The accused, who is self-em- ployed, immediately pleaded guilty to the charges, with the admission being confirmed by the court. During proceedings, the pros- ecution emphasised that there had been three separate inci- dents and argued that the ac- cused had persistently bothered the complainant. However, it also acknowledged that many of the messages centred around declarations of love towards his former partner. The accused admitted that he had been intoxicated when mak- ing the Facebook posts, with the court noting that the posts con- tained spelling mistakes. The prosecution further explained that the accused had attempted to limit contact by blocking the woman himself, deleting Face- book, and even removing the app store from his phone to stop himself from reinstalling social media applications. The court heard that the ac- cused wished to conclude the separation process so both par- ties could "go their own way." The defence stated that the prosecution had fairly repre- sented the circumstances of the case and stressed that the ac- cused had admitted guilt from the very beginning. The defence argued that a suspended sen- tence would be the most appro- priate punishment. The prosecution itself request- ed a suspended sentence at the minimum threshold, describing the matter as an unfortunate do- mestic situation involving par- ents of minor children. The court ultimately sentenced the man to an 18-month proba- tion order, imposed a €200 fine, and issued a treatment order ad- dressing his alcohol problem. Inspector Audrey Micallef, Le- gal aid lawyer Silvan Pulis repre- sented the accused. MATTHEW FARRUGIA mfarrugia@mediatoday.com.mt Massage parlour worker says she offered sexual services to regular clients out of her own will A massage parlour worker tes- tified in court that she chose to provide sexual services to se- lected regular clients of her own free will while working in Malta, insisting her employer had only hired her as a masseuse. The testimony was given dur- ing the compilation of evidence against Shen Man, who is ac- cused of human trafficking, run- ning a brothel, and living off the earnings of prostitution. She has pleaded not guilty. The Chinese woman testified via video link on Tuesday dur- ing the compilation of evidence against Shen Man, a 56-year-old Chinese national accused of hu- man trafficking, keeping a broth- el, and living off the earnings of prostitution. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The witness told the court she moved to Malta around six years ago to work as a masseuse in a Birkirkara massage parlour after being introduced to Shen Man through a friend while she was in China caring for her parents and searching for employment op- portunities. According to her testimony, the accused assisted her with obtain- ing a residence permit and the necessary paperwork before she travelled to Malta. The pair had agreed on working conditions beforehand, including a monthly salary of around €700 to €750 and accommodation in Msida for a period of time. She said she worked daily from morning until around 8pm and was paid entirely in cash. The woman added that she was free to take leave whenever she wished and was never forced to work sev- en days a week. The witness described Shen Man as both her employer and friend, saying they frequently so- cialised together outside work. She told the court that although she was originally recruited sole- ly to provide massages, she later decided on her own initiative to offer sexual services to a limited number of regular clients. At several points during her testimony, the woman appeared visibly distressed, becoming emotional while describing the situation. She explained that cli- ents who were satisfied with her massage services sometimes re- quested additional sexual servic- es, which she accepted only from customers she trusted and con- sidered respectful. The witness insisted she turned away men who entered the par- lour, specifically requesting sex- ual services and stressed that any intimate encounters were entirely her own choice. She also testified that payments for massages were handled sep- arately from the extra services. Massage fees were paid through cash or Revolut, while money linked to sexual services was giv- en directly to her as tips, which she kept for herself. The woman said she paid ap- proximately €300 monthly to Shen Man for taxes related to the registered business, although she did not fully understand the spe- cific tax obligations involved. She further explained that the massage parlour consisted of a corridor leading to two private rooms. Security cameras were installed in the corridor area but not inside the massage rooms, with Shen Man having access to the footage. The prosecution is being led by AG lawyers Ramon Bonett Slad- den and Charmaine Abdilla, to- gether with Inspectors John Spi- teri, Dorianne Tabone, and Oscar Baldacchino. Lawyer Francois Dalli is repre- senting the accused, while lawyer Lara Dimitrijevic appeared on be- half of the Women's Rights Foun- dation for the alleged victim. JULIA DOWLING jdowling@mediatoday.com.mt