A Libyan man, convinced that his girlfriend was cheating on him, cut her finger with the lid of a can believing that if she bled it would mean she was in another relationship, a court heard yesterday in between hysterical outbursts from the accused.

In the event, the act sealed the fate of their relationship. The lovelorn man was found guilty of injuring the woman and was ordered not to speak to her for three years.

Zeiad Mohammed Abuzoda, 30, walked into the court room crying and shouting: "I'm Libyan, don't I have any human rights? Look, look what they did to me," he screamed as he tried to pull his shirt up.

Ordering him to be quiet and sit down, Magistrate Antonio Micallef Trigona called the escorting officer over and, in a warning tone, told him that if he got to know he was mistreating people... to which the officer replied: "I can assure you, Your Honour."

As he stood in the dock, the accused became hysterical again and, with tears in his eyes, said: "I have a problem. I love her but she loves someone else."

The magistrate again told him to be quiet and the accused apologised, adding that he was acting in that manner because he was so nervous.

Police Inspector Edmond Cuschieri told the court that on Thursday, Mr Abuzoda had cut the finger of his girlfriend, Krasimira Dimitrova, with the lid of a corned beef can because, according to the accused, if she bled it meant she was seeing another man.

In the argument that ensued between the couple, he threatened her with a knife and scratched her face, her left eye and her hands in her flat in St Paul's Bay, the officer said.

At this point, the magistrate asked his court usher to call in lawyer Joe Brincat so he could represent the accused. The usher eventually informed the magistrate that Dr Brincat was unable to enter into the building because of a bomb threat.

Magistrate Micallef Trigona insisted he would not move and would carry on with the sitting, adding that bomb threats had become far too common.

He asked Mr Abuzoda whether he wanted to plead guilty or not guilty and the accused said he never hurt his girlfriend and she never hurt him.

The magistrate held up a medical certificate and said the evidence proved otherwise. He told the accused that if he were to plead guilty he would receive a suspended jail term but if not the case would be put off and would take ages to be concluded.

Mr Abuzoda asked whether he would go home if he pleaded guilty, to which the police inspector said he could.

He decided to admit to the charges of threatening and seriously injuring the woman and was given an 18-month jail term suspended for two years. He was also fined €116.

The magistrate also placed the woman under a protection order for three years and ordered Mr Abuzoda not to speak to her throughout that period. At this point the man started to get hysterical again and the magistrate ordered him to get a grip on himself.