A 51-year-old man today was sentenced to nine months in prison after he was found guilty of assault.

John Grech, from Qormi, was charged with causing grievous injuries to Anthony Spiteri, damaging a weapon, breaching public order and relapsing.

In court, Anthony Spiteri explained how on 10 October 2011, his wife entered their residence crying, telling him that Mr Grech had pinned her against the garage door, demanding her to get into his car, while telling her he loves her.

The husband wanted to file a police report immediately, but his wife told him to wait until the day after, not to alarm their children.

The following day, Mr Spiteri was loading his shotgun and dog into his van, when he came face to face with the accused.

He asked him to leave his family alone, but Mr Grech took the shotgun from his hand and started beating Mr Spiteri with the buttstock. 

Hearing the commotion, Mrs Grech went to intervene, throwing a vase towards the accused. But Mr Grech started chasing her and hit her in the back with the gun, before proceeding to continue injuring the man.

As a consequence, Mr Spiteri suffered broken bones in his hand and nose, lacerations on his face and forehead and scratches on his knee - injuries which were certified as grievous

In court, the woman explained that the accused had been harassing for a while before the incident, but she kept it quiet not to cause any trouble. 

“Stop. You are going to kill me, ” she said her husband had told the accused, to which he allegedly answered “I want to kill you.”

Before the couple filed a report, Mr Grech had filed a report that it was Mr Spiteri who had assaulted him when he was making his way towards his vehicle, which was parked close to the couple's residence. The accused was certified as suffering from slight injuries.

Magistrate Doreen Clarke ruled in light of two contradicting versions of events, it was clear that the injuries suffered by Mr Spiteri were the result of assault and sentenced the accused to nine months in prison.

Police inspector Roderick Zammit led the prosecution.