A man who threatened his partner with a knife and crashed his vehicle into hers when their three young children were in the car, was yesterday given a suspended jail term.

From the evidence before the court, and testimony by Maria Muscat – the victim – it was clear that Felix Delia, 45, was kind hearted but his behaviour changed radically when under the influence of alcohol.

Besides handing down the suspended sentence, the court also suspended his driving licence for a year and ordered him to pay a € 582.34 fine.

In handing down judgement, the court, presided over by magistrate Jacqueline Padovani, took into consideration that his partner had forgiven him on condition that he completes an alcohol rehabilitation programme.

On 25 April 2005, Maria Muscat of Cospicua had reported to the police that her partner had threatened her with a knife following an argument. She fled the scene together with their three children aged six months, two years and six years. Whilst driving, Delia had called her reporting that he had damaged property in her house.

Once at home she realised that someone had tried to force open the windows. She also informed the police that Delia had gone back to her house and started threatening her again verbally that he will injure her and damage her car: “Nifqa lilek u l-karozza li ghandek.”

He followed her back to the police station and crashed into the passenger’s door even though her six-month old infant was in the front seat and their other two children in the back seat. When she tried to drive off, Delia drove into her again and attempted to repeat his action for the third time but was stopped by the police.

Delia used to threaten her continuously but she did not report to the police because he was breaching the court imposed conditions while on bail. She had also informed the police that Delia had asked his doctor to refer him to Mount Carmel hospital but refused to do so.

Back then he had been following group therapy for his alcoholism because there were no vacancies for him to commence a residential programme.