A woman has been charged with grievous bodily harm after a court heard how she slashed her partner’s chest with a knife.

The woman, 46, from Hamrun, was also charged with slight bodily harm, threatening the man with a knife, threatening and insulting the man, exceeding the limits of provocation and breaching the peace.

The incident took place during a domestic argument, the prosecution said. A 20-centimetre kitchen knife was used.

The court, presided by Magistrate Nadina Lia, heard how this was not the first time the woman has been charged with assaulting her partner. She had previously been charged with winding a belt around the man’s neck.

The woman’s legal aid lawyer, Charmaine Cherrett, entered a request for bail. This was objected to by Inspector Audrey Micallef, prosecuting, who said the victim has not yet testified and there is a risk of her tampering with evidence.

The inspector said the woman had already been released on bail after another report was filed by the victim. The accused, she said, had clearly breached the order to not approach the man.

But the legal aid lawyer argued that the aggression was reciprocal.

She told the court that the woman had moved out of the Hamrun house and went to live in Bugibba with her mother. She also told the court that if she is not given bail, she could lose her job.

The court refused bail at this stage, noting that the accused cannot be considered as a trustworthy person and there is a real fear of interference with the evidence.

The magistrate urged the prosecution to summon its witnesses soon. A protection order was issued in favour of the man.