A 35-year-old man has been sentenced to seven years in prison after the Court of Magistrates found him guilty of violently assaulting his former partner and possessing unlicensed firearms.

The charges stemmed from an incident on 19 December 2021, during which the accused assaulted the woman, caused her grievous bodily harm, threatened her, and used a loaded weapon during a domestic dispute. The prosecution also sought to have him treated as a recidivist, citing his previous convictions.

Inspector Sherona Buhagiar presented several firearms and ammunition seized from the man's residence, including multiple rifles, two shotguns, a pistol, and various cartridges. Although the accused previously held firearms licences, a police witness from the licensing unit confirmed these had expired nearly a year earlier, on 31 December 2020.

The victim delivered a detailed account of the events. Earlier that day, the couple had visited a Sunday market and her mother's home, where the accused had been drinking. After returning home, she took his son and niece to his mother's house because he was unfit to drive, triggering his anger.

When she later told him to leave, he threatened her, pulled a firearm from under his clothing, loaded it, and pointed it at her. Shocked, she reacted by striking him with an ice pack. He then head-butted her, causing her to fall to the floor. A medical expert confirmed she suffered a nasal bone laceration, classifying the injury as grievous.

The woman's daughter corroborated her mother's account, testifying that she heard threats such as "You will pay for everything" before witnessing her mother on the ground, bleeding heavily. CCTV footage also showed the accused entering the building with a bulging hoodie pocket suggestive of a concealed object.

The accused remained silent during his police statement but later testified in court, claiming the victim had struck him first with a vase, injuring his eye, and that he acted in self-defence. He denied possessing or using a firearm and insisted his weapons were legally stored. However, the court found his testimony inconsistent and contradicted by evidence, including medical findings that disproved his story about facial injuries.

Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech ruled the victim and her daughter to be credible and found all charges proven. Considering the severity of the offences and the accused's continued criminal activity, the court imposed a seven-year prison term, ordered €572 in expert costs, issued a three-year restraining order, and ordered all firearms destroyed.