A man was jailed for three months suspended for two years after he pleaded guilty to threatening to kill his wife and threatening to kidnap his daughter and set the matrimonial house on fire.

Jesmond Azzopardi, 36, from Qormi pleaded guilty to threatening to kill his wife Sonia, threatening a police constable, disobeying police orders, swearing in public and breaching the peace.

Handing down his judgement, magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna said that Azzopardi has a record of a series of incidents involving his wife since 1995 and he had already benefited of a number of probation orders. On the other hand, the magistrate said, an effective jail term would be counter-productive.

He therefore jailed him for three months suspended for two years, placed him on a supervision order for two years and fined him Lm100.

Police Inspector Joseph Agius prosecuted while Dr Robert Abela appeared for the accused.