A man who was convicted of grievously injuring his girlfriend’s mother in a domestic argument has been handed probation after a court was told that he had mental health problems and had since developed cancer.

The 31 year-old from Siggiewi was placed under probation and treatment orders after he was convicted of having grievously injured his girlfriend’s mother eight years ago in Mosta.

The court said that it was not fitting that the man, who was also found guilty of recidivism, be sent to prison because in the last two years he had been diagnosed with cancer and other health issues.

A social inquiry report revealed that he was a cannabis user who also needed mental health treatment. In the years since the incident, the man had been in a stable relationship with another woman and had put his criminal past behind him.

The incident in question had occurred in July 2011, when the accused who had been in a relationship with the victim and who had three children by her, had fallen out with his in-laws. They disapproved of the relationship with their daughter, amongst other reasons, because of his past conviction for sexual activity with a minor.

Many arguments had ensued with the woman’s family about this. 

On the day of the incident in question, the woman had suspected him of infidelity after finding that he was calling a female friend of hers.

In the ensuing argument, the accused had upturned a granite table, smashing it into pieces. He also attacked and injured the woman, punching her in her ear and causing hearing loss. 

The accused, who didn’t testify in the court proceedings, had told the police that he had been receiving calls from a woman and that he had told her not to call him to avoid trouble. He admitted to overturning the table because the woman’s mother had accused him of cheating on the woman. He said he had been struck in the chest with a bread knife by the woman and that her son had attacked him with a wooden spoon.

Medical experts had established that the grandmother had suffered hearing loss which had persisted for a period of time, although was not permanent, and therefore the injuries were to be classified as grievous.

In her considerations on punishment, magistrate Josette Demicoli had taken into account a number of factors in the difficult family situation as well as the fact that the man had been convicted of being violent towards third parties in the past.

He needed to be treated by a psychologist to learn to manage his anger and impulsiveness, said the court. A three year treatment order was also imposed in order to help him overcome his drug addiction and receive psychological and psychiatric treatment. 

He was ordered to pay €2,000 within 6 months for the damage he had caused.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri were defence counsel. Inspectors Therese Sciberras and Nicholas Vella prosecuted.