A Qrendi man was yesterday given a 13-month jail term suspended for two years for holding a woman against her will and taking her to a quarry in Mqabba where he threatened to kill her last year.
Kevin Spiteri, 29, was found guilty of driving Cathleen Camilleri to the quarry against her will and threatening to kill her there after she passed a comment about another woman.
Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera heard Ms Camilleri explain that on October 29, 2005, she met Mr Spiteri, who she had known for some time, in a bar. After having a drink there, they left the bar together to meet some friends.
As he was driving her car they started speaking about a certain Daphne and Ms Camilleri asked him if he had slept with her. On hearing this Mr Spiteri lost his temper and started insulting Ms Camilleri and warned her not to speak about Daphne that way.
When they arrived in Marsa he told her he was taking her to a quarry to kill her. She panicked and he began hitting her as he drove, she said.
Ms Camilleri then remained silent as she believed his threats could materialise. When they arrived near the Mqabba roundabout she started screaming again and tried to get out of the car but he restrained her and drove to the quarry.
When they arrived there she tried calling 199 but he stopped her. He started hitting her again. Eventually she managed to get away and, when she saw him leave the quarry, she called for help.
Mr Spiteri denied all this although he admitted to hitting Ms Camilleri with his elbow during an argument in the car. He denied holding her against her will or beating her the way she had described it.
On evaluating both versions Magistrate Scerri Herrera ruled that Ms Camilleri's was more credible.
It had resulted that Mr Spiteri held the woman against her will and threatened to kill her. However, after hearing Ms Camilleri declare that she had forgiven Mr Spiteri, the magistrate opted for a suspended jail term.
She also ordered Mr Spiteri not to approach Ms Camilleri against a Lm100 fine in default.
Police Inspector Joseph Agius prosecuted. Lawyer José Herrera and Roberto Montalto were defence counsel.