Man charged with wife's murder refused bail

A 29-year-old man who stands accused of killing his wife by stabbing her repeatedly last May was yesterday refused bail by Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera.

David Norbert Schembri filed an application for bail on January 31.

The court noted that in objecting to bail being granted, the prosecution based its arguments on what a probation officer had said. The probation officer described Schembri as "a unique case in all senses"; that he worked hard all week and blew it all in the weekend, that he had a serious drug problem and continued abusing cocaine even though he was under a probation order.

The court noted that the accused's criminal record showed he had been abusing of drugs since 1994 and that he had been given various probation orders but had persisted in his drug habit.

In the circumstances, the court rejected the request for bail.