Tuesday, 25th November 2008 - 13:40CET

Man jailed for harassing former girlfriend

James Demanuele, 34 Tarxien was today jailed for five months, fined €1,000 and lost a personal guarantee of €5,824 after a Magistrates’ Court found him guilty of breaching bail conditions.

The court heard that the man, previously convicted of having stabbed his former girl friend, had again harassed her and threatened to kill her through phone calls and SMS messages, He had also terrorised their severely autistic daughter.

The former girlfriend testified that he had once asked their daugher whether she had kissed her mum, telling her she would soon not see her any more.

A social worker said that the accused, in her presence, had threatened to again stab his former girl friend.

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Sunday, November 22, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

P. Xuereb (on 27/11/08)

It seems to me that the problem needs to be tackled from various perspectives -- the aggressor; the victim; and the system.

The short prison term will not give the victim any peace of mind, since it will soon be over -- and her fear will be that her ex-boyfriend will come out even more angry than before. For the same reason it will also not deter the aggressor from doing the same again.

On the psychiatric side, probably both parties need help -- the former, to overcome her fears; and the latter, to understand that it is time to walk away and start afresh.

If people come out of the prison system worse than when they went in, this is a separate, more general problem, and one that absolutely needs to be addressed -- for the sake of all of members of society.

kate micallef (on 26/11/08)

I agree that the prison system needs to be reassesed as a lot of criminals can be educated and rehabilitated back into society. At present they come out worse than when they went in, the aim should be to send them out better than they were or not at all.
Rehabilitation aside - 5 months for stabbing, harassment and threatening to kill?

G.Mangion (on 26/11/08)

@ Kurt Grech

People who are found guilty of Crimes like this should be sent to prison,
What do you suggest kurt, to send them to a 5 Star Hotel ?
Do you Honestly think that, if convicted, after he does his time, the girl friend will remain with the peace of mind ?
It's the Woman / or any other Victims that really needs help !! but...............

Kurt Grech (on 25/11/08)

Imprisoning him will NOT solve the problem not even temporarily. It will just give his x-girlfriend peace of mind. He needs help to overcome his problem.....though at 34 he should be mature enough to be able to get out of it or seek help if he cannot

J Galea (on 25/11/08)

To Whom It May Concern,

Is this individual going to be rehabilitated? Is he going to get physiciatric evaluation? Is he going to be given professional help so that he will not be a danger to his ex girlfriend or any other human being?
Sentencing this man to jail will only solve the problem temporarily.