Man confesses to assaulting parents, sisters and officer

A 24-year-old man was yesterday given a one-year jail term suspended for three years for threatening his parents, his two sisters and a police sergeant last month.

Magistrate Saviour Demicoli heard Josef Belkhir, of Birzebbuga, plead guilty to assaulting his parents Koudier and Maria Dolores and his sisters Nadia and Miriam and trying to seriously injure the latter on March 30. Mr Belkhir also admitted to assaulting a police sergeant and causing over Lm10 damage to his parents' house when he broke the door to the yard.

On handing down judgment the magistrate noted that Mr Belkhir had filed an early guilty plea and had a clean criminal record.

He bound him not to approach his family members and the officer against a Lm100 fine in default.

Police Inspector Johann Fenech prosecuted.