Cleared of injuring boyfriend

A woman was yesterday cleared of injuring her boyfriend in the face with a key when a magistrate ruled that the charge had not been sufficiently proven.

Magistrate Abigail Lofaro cleared Mary Carmen Grech, 51 of Balzan, of slightly injuring her boyfriend PC Joseph Fava and damaging his car on September 4, 1999.

The magistrate heard Ms Grech explain how she met up with Mr Fava while he was on fixed-point duty outside Castille, in Valletta.

Mr Fava and Ms Grech were in a relationship at the time and when she told him she was going out alone that evening he hit her in the face.

But Mr Fava denied this and said that Ms Grech had hit him behind his ear with a key following an argument.

On evaluating the conflicting versions the magistrate cleared Ms Grech of all charges on the grounds that they had not been sufficiently proven.

In a separate case against Mr Fava, that was decided in September 2004, Magistrate Lofaro had cleared him of injuring Ms Grech on the same grounds.

Police Inspector Mario Tonna prosecuted.