A St Paul’s Bay woman has pleaded not guilty to pushing her French partner down the stairs during a domestic argument early on Sunday morning.

In a press release on Sunday the police said that a 41-year-old Frenchman was in danger of dying after falling one storey. It only emerged on Monday, when his partner was arraigned, that he had been involved in an argument at the time of the accident.

Dona Debono, 31, was charged with casing grievous injuries to Thierry Aliexis, 41, at his Rabat villa at 1.20am on Sunday and threatening him.

Lawyer Lucio Schriha, defending, said his client had been involved in a domestic argument with her partner. They had been drinking some time before. The two are still in a relationship and Mr Aliexis would have called on the court to withdraw the proceedings were he not in hospital, the lawyer said.

Sources said the man suffered a broken rib, leg and toe after falling down one storey. His condition has since improved. It is understood that the argument started in the bedroom and spilled onto the upstairs landing. At one point the man approached the accused and she allegedly pushed him back. The man, who is quite tall, tried to hold onto the low bannisters but lost his balance and fell backwards. Sources said he managed to break his fall by kicking the wall.

Magistrate Joseph Mifsud granted bail against a personal guarantee of €2,000. Ms Debono, who said she would continue living at her partner’s house, was also ordered to sign the bail book twice a week at the Rabat police station.

Inspector Edel Mary Camilleri prosecuted.