Court notes rise in domestic violence cases

A magistrate commented on the increasing number of domestic violence cases when sentencing a man who threatened his former partner.

Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera said domestic violence incidents were the cause of a lot of tension within the family unit. Condemning this sort of violence, she concluded that, in the case before her, said felt that a one-year jail term suspended for two years should act as a deterrent.

The magistrate noted that the real victim in this case was a six-month-old baby who had to do without his pushchair because it was stolen by his father, Darren David Borg, 37, from Marsascala.

Mr Borg got involved in an argument with his former partner on the evening of July 28 at her home in Attard, when he threatened to harm her and also stole his son’s pushchair, the court heard.

Mr Borg pleaded guilty to the charges and also returned the pushchair.

In her considerations, the magistrate said Mr Borg had admitted at an early stage of the proceedings. He had three convictions on his criminal record for insulting public officers, disobeying orders and contravening traffic regulations.