Dad deserved more... at least 100 years – son

The three children of Catherine Agius, who was stabbed to death by her husband with a butcher’s knife, believe that their father should have been imprisoned for life because he robbed them of their mother.

Not only did I lose my sister but also my best friend

“Our father stopped existing when he killed our mother ...I think jailing him for 31 years was too little ... I don’t want him to ever leave jail and I don’t want to see him. I don’t believe he was really sorry ...I just want to add, I love my mother,” said the youngest daughter, who is 13.

Her 14-year-old sister agreed, saying: “We loved our mummy a lot and he could not have hurt us more than he did. He could have been given a harsher punishment . . . He deserved it.”

The girls’ elder brother, who is 15, shared the same sentiment: “I think that, for what he did, he deserved more... At least 100 years... I never want to speak to him.”

The three siblings lost their mother on July 13, 2009, when she was stabbed by their father, Roger Agius, on a bus stop in Tarxien as she returned home from work at about 6 p.m. Mr Agius, 49, pleaded guilty to the murder of his wife and was yesterday jailed for 31 years. He faced a maximum of life imprisonment.

Mr Agius took the witness stand on Monday and told the court he was sorry for his actions and never meant to murder his wife. He said he pleading guilty to spare his children from further suffering.

Mr Agius said that at the time he was under a lot of pressure because he believed his wife was having an affair and wanted to take all his property during their separation proceedings.

Speaking after sentence was passed, the three children – who preferred not to be named – said they did not really believe their father was sorry.

“I think he didn’t want to take us to court so we don’t taint his reputation,” the youngest said.

The three teenagers recalled how their mother was a gentle person who smiled all the time and went out of her way to make them happy. She deprived herself of many things to ensure they had all they needed.

The victim’s elder sister agreed with her nephew and nieces that Mr Agius deserved a harsher punishment.

She and her sister were very close and always together. “Not only did I lose my sister but also my best friend,” she said.

She said her family always cautioned her sister about her relationship with Mr Agius.

“He played with her feelings and realised how forgiving she was. When she fell for his charm and started loving him, he started to show his true colours . . . He managed to manipulate her and assure her he would change and she believed him . . .

“We even argued with her about him...But she was convinced he would change. The Sunday before he killed her she took the children to Mass to pray for their father to change his ways,” she said, adding that Mr Agius had hit her sister before.

She said she was angry to hear him claim that her sister had had an affair.

That was not true and her sister barely left the house.

“It was not easy for her to ask for a separation. She cried but said she had no choice because he was ruining her life and that of the children who were growing up,” she said.

The sister recalled how the situation escalated when Mr Agius realised he was not going to get any property in the separation settlement. Since he did not work and could not pay maintenance due to his drinking problem, a lawyer suggested that, instead, he renounce his half of the matrimonial home. This made him very angry.

Thinking back to the day of the murder, she recalled that she was returning home from work when the horrific news reached her. The news was harsh on all the family but especially the children.

“She was their mother and he was their father, so they lost both . . . They often say no one can replace their mother . . . A few months ago the boy went to France with his school. As he packed and was told to have fun he said his happiness ended the day his mother died . . . No matter how much we try, we will never fill that void in their life,” their aunt said.