A couple made it all the way to Valletta from Paola in bad weather yesterday morning to thank the judge who jailed Norbert Schembri for life over the brutal murder of his former girlfriend.

Catherine and George Borg do not know the victim or her family but said they felt very strongly about this case. They wanted to express their gratitude to the judge for jailing Mr Schembri for life because "there are just too many similar cases of domestic abuse where the husband beats up his wife".

Mr Schembri was jailed on Thursday after jurors found him guilty by eight votes to one of the "merciless" murder of Ms Scicluna by stabbing her 49 times in May 2004 as their seven-year-old daughter watched.

"For every bad woman there are 500 bad men," Mrs Borg said yesterday as she walked into the court to thank Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono.

The couple did not manage to speak to the judge but Mrs Borg instead gave an impassioned speech to court staff.

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