A man was yesterday accused of threatening his wife and mother of his three children and his mother and father-in-law during a family argument on Sunday.

Charles Brincat, 26, from Tarxien, was accused of threatening his wife Ritienne as well as Carmen and Angelo Camilleri at their home in Birkirkara.

The court heard how Mr Brincat and his wife had argued at their family home in Tarxien. Mrs Brincat packed up and left and went to her parents’ home. Mr Brincat followed her and allegedly threatened his wife and her parents with a knife.

Mr Brincat was also accused of threatening to kill Mrs Brincat and the Camilleris, breaching the peace and being in possession of a sharp and pointed instrument without having a licence issued by the Police Commissioner.

Before magistrate Lawrence Quintano, Mr Brincat first pleaded guilty to three of the four charges but pleaded not guilty to the charge of threatening the mentioned people with a knife. He insisted that he did not pull out the knife. He later retracted his guilty plea and pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him.

Mrs Camilleri, who along with her husband and their daughter, were present in courtroom, said Mr Brincat was the father of three children, aged five, three and 18 months. She said it was not the first time that he had threatened them and their daughter. On her part, Mrs Brincat said she wanted to live at home with their three children.

Magistrate Quintano granted Mr Brincat bail against a deposit of Lm200 and a personal guarantee of Lm1,000. He also ordered Mr Brincat, who works in the construction industry, not to approach Tarxien and Birkirkara and to stay away from his wife and his in-laws.

Police Inspector Kevin Farrugia prosecuted while Dr Ludwig Caruana appeared for the accused.