A man today placed was on probation for a year and ordered to do a hundred hours of community work after admitting to holding his wife against her will, escaping from police custody and relapsing.

Mohamed Ramadan, had originally also been charged with raping his wife, violent indecent assault and threatening to use violence, but the wife asked the courts for these three charges to be dropped.

Magistrate Aaron Bugeja noted the man’s admission to the rest of the charges but said a prison sentence was not ideal given a number of circumstances, including the fact that the man is raising his children. The court said it would be more opportune if the man could benefit from a rehabilitation and integration process through a probation order and community work.

Lawyer Jason Grima appeared for the accused. Inspector Sylvana Briffa prosecuted.