Magistrate Joe Mifsud said Tuesday he regretted an incident in his courtroom last month which was followed by criticism from the Chamber of Advocates, which called on the judiciary to show more respect towards lawyers.

In a statement last week, the Chamber of Advocates deplored the comments made by the magistrate to the prosecuting officer in the case against Roderick Cassar, who stands accused of killing his wife Bernice Cassar last year.

In a court sitting on 4 July, the prosecutor accusing Cassar of murdering his wife was ordered to stand in the dock next to the defendant and threatened with being found in contempt after she objected to a magistrate’s criticism of her handling of the case.

In a court sitting today, Magistrate Mifsud said the court had no intention to humiliate the prosecution officer or anyone else.

On Tuesday, Magistrate Mifsud officially recorded that the court was sorry about what happened, explaining that the court had simply applied a measure to ensure order in the courtroom. 

He said that what had happened was motivated by the court's desire for justice to be served within a reasonable time.

In its statement, the Chamber of Advocates referred to the “inappropriate words and orders” given by the magistrate, saying that the magistrate abused his position and humiliated the prosecutor in the course of her duties.

Such comments, the chamber said, serve for nothing except to undermine the public’s faith in the judiciary, something that the judiciary does not deserve for its work.