Woman beaten by husband finds police station closed

A woman yesterday recounted in court how, after being beaten by her husband, she went to the Luqa police station but found it closed and had to walk all the way to the Paola station in the early hours of the morning.

The woman was testifying in the case against her 52-year-old husband who is pleading not guilty to seriously injuring her in the face on May 8 just after midnight.

The man is also charged with assaulting his wife and causing her to fear him.

The woman explained that she and her husband had been going through a bad patch and the situation had been escalating. On the night of the incident she was asleep when her husband woke her up with a punch in the back. He then punched her in the face. She tried going to the Luqa police station but found it closed and so walked all the way to Paola to file a report.

Names are not being published to protect the woman's identity.

Magistrate Doreen Clarke presided over the case.

Police Inspector Jesmond Borg prosecuted.

Lawyers Veronique Dalli and Josè Herrera were defence counsel.