Man threatened to kill girlfriend's father, court hears

"I will shoot you, I have the means and you know I will," a man allegedly told his girlfriend's father in front of the police after they were summoned in view of a heated argument between the two in Birkirkara on New Year's Day.

The police did not find any weapon.

Christiansen Bartolo, 27, appeared before Magistrate Silvio Meli yesterday charged with threatening to kill Carmelo Borg, threatening his family, breaching the public peace and a probation order.

The police believe the incident was sparked off by a petty domestic argument at about 2 a.m. between Mr Bartolo and his girlfriend, which escalated when her father, Mr Borg, who lives in the same house, got involved.

The police were summoned and as the officers tried to diffuse the situation, Mr Bartolo, the court heard yesterday, threatened Mr Borg that he would shoot him.

The magistrate read out part of the statement the accused made to the police in which he said: "I will shoot you, I have the means and you know I will".

The court asked the prosecution whether any guns were found in Mr Bartolo's possession. The inspector said nothing had been found at his home. It is then "a case of blowing hot air," the magistrate remarked.

In asking for bail, defence lawyer José Herrera said the charges were not that serious in the eyes of the law because they only added up to contraventions and not full-blown crimes. Police Inspector Kevin Farruġia rebutted this line of argument, saying he had arrested Mr Bartolo because he did not want to take any chances especially after the recent and sudden rise in gun crime.

The court agreed that the charges should be taken seriously particularly in light of the recent events involving guns. It asked Mr Bartolo's father, who was present in the courtroom, where his son would live if granted bail.

The father gave the address of his own father saying that his son was used to staying at his grandfather's place.

The court granted Mr Bartolo bail against a personal guarantee of €3,000 after taking into consideration that the charges were only contraventions.