The ex-partner of the Xghajra deputy mayor Neil Attard testified in court today, saying that Mr Attard has threatened her on a number of occasions. One such threat she received, she told the court, was that he would burn her daughter alive.

Taking the stand, the former partner said they met in 2013, and formed a relationship. She said she tried to end it, but he wouldn’t let her and that he kept on messaging her.

Mr Attard, who was elected as a Labour Party candidate but was dismissed from the party a few weeks ago, is charged with threatening his former partner, and causing her fear that violence would be used against her.

The Malta Independent has previously written about cases involving Mr Attard.

Representing the former partner as parte civile, Dr Jason Azzopardi told the court that Attard would send her thousands of messages, including threats.

She spoke of an incident that occurred in May 2015. She had gone to meet him on his father’s boat that was berthed in Marsaxlokk. She said that Mr Attard went down into the Cabin and urged her to join him. She refused, and Mr Attard came out with a bread knife and threatened her, the court heard.

She left the boat and went towards her car, once there, she told the court that Attard came and snatched her keys. She said that she was crying and when a bystander came to ask her what was wrong, Attard came back and returned the keys.

The Parte Civile submitted certain recordings of certain conversations to be transcribed by the court and the case was deferred to 10 March.

Dr David Gatt representing Neil Attard, Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona presiding.