The former partner of a late Prime Minister’s daughter Yana Mintoff Bland has been sentenced to six years imprisonment after he was found guilty of attempting to cause grievous injury, causing slight injury to her son, attacking Mintoff Bland and arson.

Magistrate Joe Mifsud, presiding over the case, found him guilty of five out of 12 charges brought against him.

The incident took place on 24 October 2016 at the residence of Mintoff Bland in Tarxien The police discovered the accused, Gheorghe Popa,40, up a tree after following a trail of blood-drops. He was found with four knife wounds to the stomach, which were all deemed to be self-inflicted by court appointed experts. Mintoff Bland had suffered a stab wound to the arm while her son, David Mainwaring had suffered injuries to his leg. In addition to the injuries, it had also been found that a fire was started in the Tarxien residence.

Popa was charged with holding Bland Mintoff against her will, trying to cause grievous injury against her and another charge for trying to do the same against her son Mainwaring, causing slight injury with a pointed object without the intention to kill, carrying a knife without a licence, using the knife as a weapon against Mintoff Bland and Mainwaring, attacking his former partner, harassing her, causing both to fear the use of violence, arson and voluntarily causing damage.

Mifsud remarked that many relationships “built on sand” are emerging thanks to the use of social media and communications, however sometimes people cannot accept that a relationship has an “expiry date”.

Mintoff Bland and Popa were arguing at the time of the incident because she reportedly was trying to kick him out of the house and break up with him, to the dismay of Popa. The court noted that Popa’s attack came from her decision to end the relationship, and that ultimately, he was not only a danger to Mintoff Bland but also to society. The court appealed for all those in an abusive relationship to exit from that situation and that the court wanted to send a message that such violence is not acceptable.

Mifsud also remarked that journalists and bloggers had shown a lack of sensitivity to the victims, acknowledging that her father, the late Dom Mintoff was a hugely influential figure in local society and therefore the case garnered extra interest.

 

Mifsud slammed certain reports “built on fantasy” that the knife used in the stabbing had gone missing when it had actually been exhibited into evidence and its destruction will soon be ordered.