A man facing charges of scalding a three-year-old boy with water was granted bail yesterday.

He took her mobile phone and smashed it on the floor. She picked up the pieces and contacted her sister

Andrea Camilleri, 29, of Luqa, was granted bail by Magistrate Edwina Grima against a deposit of €1,000 and a personal guarantee of €10,000.

Mr Camilleri is pleading not guilty to grievously injuring the son of his partner, Sharon Fenech, and slightly injuring her. He was also charged with relapsing.

Ms Fenech’s sister, Dorianne Spiteri, testified yesterday that she had received a “panicky” phone call on June 2 from her sister who had locked herself in the bedroom. “She told me to call the police because her partner was being very violent,” she said.

Mrs Spiteri said she had very little contact with Mr Camilleri, except for a few times when they spoke on the phone.

Ms Fenech testified last month that both she and Mr Camilleri had woken up at about 8 a.m. and started arguing. Mr Camilleri then told her he was going out to smoke and she fell asleep again before being woken by her son screaming: “Daddy, it’s hot.”

She walked into the bathroom and saw Mr Camilleri kneeling by the bathtub holding the shower head on her son, Jesred, who was crying.

Mr Camilleri insisted he had used cold water but she pulled her son out of the tub and dressed him quickly to take him to the health clinic when his skin started turning red.

However, when she tried to call for help, he took her mobile phone and smashed it on the floor. She quickly picked up the pieces, ran into her bedroom and locked herself in and then contacted her sister to call for help.