A 32-year-old man who resides in Qormi was denied bail after he was charged with threatening another man on Sunday.

The man, whose name cannot be made public by order of the court, has a long history of issues related to a family feud between him and another family. The court heard how the man has three children from the daughter of the other family. Police inspector Roderick Agius explained that the problems between the two families has been ongoing for years. 

"I know of the problems between the two families and most of the criminal history of the accused is related to the issues raised by the family feud," Agius explained. 

It appears that on 17 December, the man went to the Zebbug police station saying that the father of this other family had provoked him and that he would be leaving the station to go to kill him. Upon making this threat, the police officers on duty at the station arrested the man and charged him with the threat. 

Defence lawyer Noel Bianco said that the issue arose after the father of the former partner provoked him.  

Prosecution argued that there are a lot of witnesses who still need to testify and that the accused could not be trusted. "He is not a bad person. But until this issue between the families is solved, we'll keep on facing these problems. We get reports every weekend. I have known these families for six and a half years and I am pretty sure that the same issues will happen."

Noel Bianco said that the man lives with his parents, who were present in the hall. If need be, the accused is denied access to his children until the proof is put forward. The accused does not have a fixed job, magistrate Josette Demicoli heard.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court ordered the name of the accused to be withheld but denied him bail.