Man confesses to threatening to kill his wife

A man yesterday admitted to repeatedly threatening to kill his wife and threatening to take their daughter and burn down their matrimonial home.

The man pleaded guilty to carrying out the threats through text messages over the past months and using telecommunication equipment to commit a crime. He also admitted to threatening a police constable and to threatening an Appogg official and his daughter's school headmistress over the phone and telling them he would kill his wife "one day or another".

Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna heard Police Inspector Joseph Agius, prosecuting, explain that the man had just been released from Mount Carmel Hospital.

After hearing submissions on punishment behind closed doors, the magistrate put off the case to Monday for judgment. Till then, the man will be held at Mount Carmel Hospital under police custody.

Names are not being published to protect the identity of the victims.

Lawyer Robert Abela was defence counsel.