Ex-husband of pardoned woman 'disgusted' at way things turned out
Graffitti last week held a vigil outside the prison in Paola to show solidarity with the woman.
The former husband of the woman who was yesterday granted a Presidential pardon after she was jailed for not allowing him access to their son has said he was “disgusted” and “deeply hurt” by the way things unfolded.
The 57-year-old woman walked out of jail at around 6.30 p.m. yesterday after she was granted a Presidential pardon. Before granting the pardon, President George Abela spoke to the woman’s son, who is now almost 18.
But the father said he was never spoken to by the President or Cabinet and the public campaign to free his wife had completely ignored his side of the story.
He said the story had been twisted and he insisted that his wife never wanted to allow his son to see him at his own leisure. The public just took the side of the mother without stopping to listen to him, he said.
“They did not delve deeply into the case… They did not want to hear my side of the story… I spent 18 years fighting in court. She goes to Xarabank and all is forgotten. I’ve lost faith in the courts… what weight do they have if a programme can overturn their decision,” he asked.
He said he did not want his estranged wife in jail but there had to be some form of punishment for someone who disobeyed the court and refused to give him access to his son.
He said he had a good relationship with the boy and recently they had gone shopping together for a new bedroom for him at his house.
But the woman thought otherwise and felt that “the truth has come out”. She told journalists as she walked out of jail that she was looking forward to going back home and resuming her normal life as she had done nothing wrong.
Sshe thanked the public for their support that led to her early release and said she hoped the courts would listen to children more.
The woman, who teaches at a Government school, had been behind bars since September 27 when the Court of Appeal upheld a magistrate’s decision jailing her for three months for failing to give her ex-husband access on 13 occasions.
During the appeal she had insisted that she never told her son, who was then 16, not to spend time with her father. He was old enough to make a decision.
Speaking to The Times shortly after the judgment, the boy said his mother never forced him not to go to this father and she did not deserve to be jailed for three months – the maximum punishment.
The story led to a huge public outcry with the public joining forces, through a petition, to ask that she be granted a Presidential Pardon.
Popular Stories
Old buses, drivers to return
Former Judge Ray Pace found dead
Updated: Minister apologises for...
Three new Nationalist MPs elected –...
Where’s Everybody staff is given notice
Updated - Director of Prisons submits...
Update 3 - Woman trapped as car crashes...
Revealed...the face of a Maltese woman...
PL reacts as PN labels Franco Debono's...
In Discussion
Old buses, drivers to return
Updated: Minister apologises for...
PL reacts as PN labels Franco Debono's...
Updated - Director of Prisons submits...
Enemalta seeking minimum five year gas...
Protected birds shot and trapped as...
Mario de Marco, Zammit Dimech concede,...
PN postpones salaries as financial...
Updated - PM's offer to Opposition MPs...
127 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Louiana Busuttil
Oct 18th 2012, 08:56
Maybe the time has come to forget the past and move on, especially for the boys sake
Joe Xuereb
Oct 17th 2012, 21:16
@r buttigieg(Today, 15:23). Hey mister, sounds like you don't like women as people very much. Typical! I'd hate to be your wife. Don't worry, I'm a gay man.
It is interesting that many men here cannot stomach a success story involving a female. I wonder why?! Maybe such men are all gay? But gays actually like women! Confused and confusing, or what?!
r buttigieg
Oct 17th 2012, 15:23
Moral of the story to all estranged dads... forget all and enjoy life as there is no tomorrow, and remember one thing the woman is always the victim in the media's eyes.
r buttigieg
Oct 17th 2012, 15:09
Of course jail would seem too harsh but there must be a deterrent for erring mothers (yes women do err too) however this whole saga has one lasting moral story... it is useless for men to go and try to get justice and see their children 'cos the media circus will side in what we always perceive as the victim, the woman.
r buttigieg
Oct 17th 2012, 15:05
Many are blaming the father that he threw his ex wife in jail...wrong! The judge did. The father just took the normal way of trying in what he saw to obtain justice instead of taking the law in his hands. And what we do? Deride him and calling him names, some even saying he does not deserve his son.
Marisa Attard
Oct 17th 2012, 08:37
What about the fact that father and son went shopping for a new bedroom together recently? Doesn't that tell us something?
Mike Abbot
Oct 17th 2012, 15:29
it tells us that the the news reported that the father said they went shopping together. truth or lie or something in between. who knows. other then that it tells us nothing. The only truth in this whole issue is that courts need to listen to the children more and bickering parents less.
Michael Camileri
Oct 17th 2012, 08:30
This is not about the father... it is about the woman that received the pardon.
And to be honest, a prison sentence for this woman was very very silly and a waste of public money.
If there was nothing untoward then the court should have forced visitation rights without prison... what a waste of resources this has all been.
emma debono
Oct 17th 2012, 07:25
no one has to listen to the fathers side . he showed who he was when he left his pregnant wife . full stop
B Attard
Oct 17th 2012, 09:09
exactly my thoughts, he doesn't even deserve to see his child
r buttigieg
Oct 17th 2012, 15:12
how nice, is there something we don t know, in that case share us. It seems all the choices are on one side only
r buttigieg
Oct 17th 2012, 15:16
democracy feminist style full stop
J Carabott
Oct 16th 2012, 19:30
This is the law:
A woman can go to jail if she does not obey access schedule ordered by a court sentence or decree BUT a man is not criminally accused if he does not turn up to pick up his child/children on the schedules days and time. He is only accused if he does not pay maintenance.
in other words if a man decides not to pick up his children, the mother can do nothing about it!
Joe Xuereb
Oct 16th 2012, 19:14
Some are wanting the husband publicly to give his version of the matter. That's right! 'Tijatrin' in Malta is still alive and kicking.
carlos ellul
Oct 16th 2012, 19:07
He abandoned the child when he was a baby and then he expected to see his wife thrown in jail and his son living with him.
Disgusting!
Toni Borg
Oct 16th 2012, 18:27
Doesn't the father feel 'disgusted' at himself for abandoning the boy when he was still a baby???
He abandoned his paternal responsibilities for 17 years! Isn't there a jail term for such crimes?
D Galea
Oct 16th 2012, 20:10
You can't really judge without knowing what happened in the parents' relationship. I am a child from a broken family, and although it is very difficult to cope with the social stigma it comes with, it would have been much worse to see them fight all the time. Besides, I'm guessing that since he is fighting to see him now that he's 16, h must have fought back then to see him too.
Jeff Zammit
Oct 17th 2012, 00:28
do you know the whole story? If yes please share it. Are you sure that he had abandoned the family? Are you sure if he really wanted to visit the child during his infancy and he was not allowed? So please do not judge the case. I think there is some truth.
Martin Saliba
Oct 17th 2012, 15:52
How do you know why he left the marimonial home ? Why do you say that he abandoned his son ? Could it be that it was impossible for he and his wife to live together ? I read on the times that a lawyer had to intervene to resolve an argument on their wedding night . Not a very good start , dont you think ?
Charlene Bonnici
Oct 16th 2012, 18:00
ma xi dwejjaq ta hajja ghexu dawn it tnejn imsieken!!! it tifel kiber u ghadkom tiggieldu!!! grow up u start living.......life is too short ta!!
Martin Saliba
Oct 16th 2012, 17:36
Issa li din il mara inhelset xarabank , jekk veru jemen fl egwaljanza , demokrazija u fil verita ghanda tistieden li dan ir ragel biex jati il verzjoni tieghu . Nispera li lewel darb li xi ragel jintbat il habs ghax veru ma jistax ihallas il mantniment nuru listess solidarjeta mieghu .
Toni Borg
Oct 16th 2012, 18:29
Taf bxi kaz fejn ragel qatt intbaghat il habs ghax ma hallasx il manteninent??
Minkejja li hawn mijjiet ta kazi ghadt irridt nisma lil xi hadd li ntbat il habs fuq hekk!
Joe Mallia
Oct 16th 2012, 18:57
@ Toni Borg
Jekk issegwi sew x'jigri l-Qorti, kien hemm diversi kazi fejn missierijiet spiccaw il-habs fuq manteniment.
J. Vella
Oct 16th 2012, 19:18
Sur toni Borg, mur ftit l-qorti u tkun taf! iva hemm min (irgiel) mar il-habs ghax ma hallasx l-manteniment!
Alan Xuereb
Oct 16th 2012, 19:36
@toni borg
With some journalism investigation, your wish will be granted.
david debattista
Oct 17th 2012, 09:05
Bravu !
r buttigieg
Oct 17th 2012, 15:15
@ toni...yes quite a lot and in not so distant years, a man could not even go abroad if the ex wife had the courts to issue an impedement of departure notice, 'to avoid her missing on the alimony', to prevent the husband from running away. Needless to say it was done out of spite
Martin Saliba
Oct 17th 2012, 19:25
Toni , 2011 marru 33 ragel il habs imhabba il mantniment.
Shirley Debono
Oct 16th 2012, 16:48
Mr Paul Camilleri, ghandek tkun taf li iva hawn min hu taht l`eta u jkollu jmur ghand ommu jew missieru bilfors ghax il-qorti riedet hekk. Le nerga nghid li mhux sew tfal li ghax ikunu taht l eta ikollhom jghaddu weekend ma genitur li jhossu li huwa barrani ghalihom. Iva nahseb li dan il-kaz hekk hu. It-tfal jafu min ihobbhom u min le. Billi taht l eta ma jfissirx li m ghandhomx mohh!!!!
D Galea
Oct 16th 2012, 20:14
Miss Debono, you are very right. I even know of a kid that was sexually abused by his father and the court still ruled that the father had the right for supervised visitations. It is appauling and disgusting. However, there are mothers who poison their kids against their father, who in all honesty wants shared custody but the kids are so influenced that they don't want to see him.
C Muscat
Oct 16th 2012, 16:23
But the father said he was never spoken to by the President or Cabinet ....
What on earth they need to talk to him about?! The only reasonable way forward would have been to ask the son to see/visit his father not to send the mother to jail.
I am a father and would stick as much as humanely possible to be part and parcel of the family I bred.
Too much harm has been done;
Dorothy Fenech
Oct 16th 2012, 15:35
Why didn't the husband speak before and give his side of the story?
Why didn't he too go on Xarabank?
He could be right but it seems like he missed the boat unfortunately!
Joseph Micallef
Oct 16th 2012, 15:25
Looks like men should start fighting for equality rights!
John Zammit Ph.D.
Oct 16th 2012, 17:09
Joseph men have been fighting for equal rights since 1990 see www.freewebs.com/mensrightsmalta
Joe Xuereb
Oct 16th 2012, 15:21
A bit late for the man to say he didn't intend wife's jailing (hardly up to him to decide). If he really wanted to rebuild a shaky relationship with his son, the last thing he should have done was threaten the wife THROUGH THE SON with legal action. Some father!
r buttigieg
Oct 17th 2012, 15:20
with what would you expect him to threaten her than Mr.Xuereb??? So now we are critisizing a man who tried to obtain justice (whethewr one agrees or not is another matter), in a proper way. What should the man have done if as he said the mother did not do her part several times in the agreement?
MT Caruana
Oct 16th 2012, 15:07
With all the respect for this father, so in this story we have a mother and a son saying the same thing that the son did not want to spend time with the father for whatsoever reason.
Now the father says otherwise.
And tell me what is the result now? Will the son visit his father after all this?
Who did benefit from all this? No one!!!
Paul Azzopardi
Oct 16th 2012, 14:54
If anyone has any sense in their head and is seeing how this all turned out to be a farce...one can easilty see the victim ultimately was the ex husband. From what has been going on he could have easily not given a hoot like many biological fathers do!! His crime was caring and believing justice was going to be done. But all he got was a media charade that did the best to make him look bad.
Emanuel Curmi
Oct 16th 2012, 15:40
Dear Mr. Azzopardi, you are so right. It wasn't even mentioned whether this gentleman is paying child support or not which will make this situation even more discriminating. After all, what parent, mother or father, would want to feel estranged from their own offspring and at least try to maintain some sort of link to their children.
Chris Gatt
Oct 16th 2012, 15:56
If this is caring, i dread to think what not caring is. This is a man who has shown respect neither to his wife nor his son, but thinks he can dictate.
G Schembri
Oct 16th 2012, 17:03
The victim is the son. This man is so bitter he is blind to his son's needs. I can understand why his son preferred studying to visiting his father. Any father who really cared about his son's future would not put his interests before that of his son's.
Any father/mother who really cared about their son would not drag their son through such an ordeal, because he wanted to study.
Eric Soames
Oct 16th 2012, 14:50
' ... she never told her son, ... not to spend time with her father.' There's more than one way to skin a cat. Body language and non-verbal cues and well-placed sigh's can be enough. Despite her own feelings she should have been talking up the dad to the son, hard but the honorable thing.
Lino Attard
Oct 16th 2012, 14:25
Son says that his mother never impeded him from visiting his father. Does this not change the situation? Apparently the son was not believed by the courts. Now the father says he did not want his wife to end in prison. If he really loved his son he should have stopped all actions leading to his son's mother ending is jail. It would have been a big sacrifice but he would have shown love for his son
Etienne Camilleri
Oct 16th 2012, 14:21
Nistennew u naraw kemm il-persuna mhux se jkollha access ghal ulieda min issa il-quddiem, l-parenti l-iehor/l-ohra ma jkunu jistghu jaghmlu xejn. Haga nghid j'Alla dawk kollha li qablu ma dan il-kazz ma jigrilkhomx l-istess pero jekk jigrilkhom ftakru li kontu intom stess li tfajtghu l-ingassa m'ghonqkhom!
C. Vella
Oct 16th 2012, 14:44
well said
B. Farrugia
Oct 16th 2012, 14:19
Ma tikmandax tfal ta hmistax il-sena qishom gugarelli, j
aghmlu dak li jhossu li hu tajjeb ghalihom.
Etienne Camilleri
Oct 16th 2012, 14:44
bis-serjeta!? gifiri jekk jien guvni ta 15 il-sena u nhoss li jekk inpejjep u nihu d drogi hu tajjeb ghalija, missieri jew ommi ma ghandhomx jikamandawni biex ma nihodhomx jew biex inwaqqafhom!?!? Niskanta u ninxef fliema dinja qed nghix kultant! Spicaw il-valura li jin haddant meta kont ghadni skola u ilum kull ma ghadt ghandi 25!!!
Rachel Galea
Oct 17th 2012, 02:50
@ Etienne Camilleri.
U inti tahseb illi billi tikmanda it-tfal biex ma ipejjpux jew jiehu d-drogi ser jobduk. Anzi jaraw kif jaghmlu dak li ma tridhomx jaghmlu wara darek u bil mohbi
A Said
Oct 16th 2012, 14:16
I always said that we need to see the other side of the coin, rather than putting pressure on the authorities to do what some people think. If, in this case, it was the 16-year old boy, who didn't want to visit his father, his mother should have explained to him that he is DUTY BOUND to visit his father. Unfortunately, children are doing what they want, whatever their duties will be!!!
B Attard
Oct 16th 2012, 14:47
U tahseb li kien se jismgha minnha. Jaqaw ma ghandekx tfal teenagers int? Mela ma tafx kemm ghandhom arja zejda t-tfal tl-llum, mhux malajr jghidu li qed tabbuzhom, ghax hekk jaghllmuhom l-iskola. Wara kollox haga wahda hawn bilfors tinsiex ...il-mewt.
A Said
Oct 16th 2012, 16:33
Mr/Ms Attard, I'm a teacher and I encounter teenagers each and everyday. I know how teenagers think, but this arrogance from teenagers is coming, in my opinion, from authorities, who always give bad examples to our kids, especially certain court sentences. And by the way, if his mother is not capable to control her son, who is going to control him then!!??
Joseph Micallef
Oct 16th 2012, 14:10
Just one question. If it was the man who was sent to jail would anyone have made all this fuss?
B Attard
Oct 16th 2012, 14:23
Why must he be sent to jail er...for taking continous care of his baby from before the day he was born!!!!?
Ms D. Borg
Oct 16th 2012, 14:47
If the sentence was excessive and unfair, yes definitely there would have been a public outcry. This was not a matter regarding gender.
B. Cachia
Oct 16th 2012, 14:07
Well, if society no longer feels that fathers have a right to see their children, or if they feel that such a right should end at a younger age, then let our legislators take the necessary action. However, having individual cases tried and decided in the court of public opinion is not a good idea either. This has not been a great day for the rule of law, I must say.
Kevin Wain
Oct 16th 2012, 14:39
I think that there is a relevant point in what you are saying here. The idea that public opinion could overturn a court ruling is unacceptable in normal circumstances. But, were these normal circumstances? I don't think they were. And, from what he is saying nor does her estranged husband think they were. Punishment, in his view was desirable but did not want to see his estranged wife in prison.
B. Cachia
Oct 16th 2012, 15:47
I'm not sure I understand why these were not 'normal circumstances'. The law probably should have been modified a long time ago to take into account the situation of, say, 15-17 year old, but that doesn't make its application abnormal. Successive courts applied the existing law correctly and the result was overturned as a result of public emotion. Not a good outcome.
A.Felex Busuttil
Oct 16th 2012, 13:43
+Hafna jiddispjecini ghal din il mara, imma ksur tal ligi trid tigie rimedjata b'forma ta kastig bhal perezempju tant sieghat xoghol fil komunita. Il messagg intbghat hazin , kull mara mhux se thalli lill ex taghha jara tfal. wara xi 8 snin tmur il habs u nipprotestaw biex nohorguha. Tliet xhur kastig iebes imma setet inghatata piena ohra.
carmel muscat
Oct 16th 2012, 13:39
jien nahseb li al ragunijiet li jafom it tifel biss il missier u it tifel ma andomx relazjoni tajba bejnitom ax kiku it tifel kien jara kif jamel u zgur li kien imur jarah lil missieru - - - - - - - - - -
B Attard
Oct 16th 2012, 14:24
Naqbel mieghek
Mary Pace
Oct 16th 2012, 15:32
Naqbek mieghek. Hawnhekk qisna pinnur issa kuhadd qieghed jaqbel mal missier. Li mhux qed jinnotaw li h il-hin kollu qed iwahhal fl-omm u qed jinsa li ibnu issa kwazi Adult. Issa li jaghlaq tmintax ha jgelu le mela il-ligi qedgha hazin u ghanda tqis lit tfal u id decizjoni titiehed wara li l-qorti u l-councillers jitkelmu mat tfal
Charlie DeBattista
Oct 16th 2012, 20:57
Ma nahsibx li tejjeb ir- relazzjoni bl-azzjonijiet tieghu il- missier lanqas.
c scudi
Oct 16th 2012, 13:35
Whatever the husband thinks and he may have been wronged..it never warranted that this woman was sent to prison..This should have all been dealt by a family court..
Shirley Debono
Oct 16th 2012, 13:20
Jekk it-tifel ma jridx jara lil-missieru ghandu jkun free li ma jarahx. Fuq kollox ta 17 yrs mhux xi tifel zghir. Il-Qorti jehtieg tara u tinvestiga naqra certi affarijiet qabel ma taghti permess lil-certu genitur li jara lil-uliedu. Hawn hafna nisa isseparaw minn mar-ragel ghax zewghom kien vjolenti, allura dawn l-irgiel kif jithallew izommu lit-tfal ghal weekends?
paul camilleri
Oct 16th 2012, 15:02
Ms Debono it is true the boy is 17 years old, but tell me how old do you have to be to obtain a driving licence / a vote / legal age to be employed/ to have an adult passport/an adult ID card./ to be able to sign a legal document. if my memory serves me correct the age is 18. the the boy is just that a boy that need to be told right from wrong. there is no indication that this man is violent.
J Grima
Oct 16th 2012, 13:20
if the son did not want to go that is his choice...there is a reason why he didnt want to go. the father should respect his sons wishes rather than seeking his own revenge. the mother respected his wishes, if she forced him to go the son would not be happy, and would not trust his mother and probably resent her for forcing him. so the child ends up unhappy with each parent!!!
Luciano Chetcuti
Oct 16th 2012, 13:11
If you love a person, let him go. If he returns he's yours, if he does not return he was never yours.
Either of the two persons in this case can adapt this to themselves. When their son will be 18 he will be free to choose who actually loved him and probably forget the other. Then each parent will see who actually loved the son.
R. Gauci
Oct 16th 2012, 13:50
U f'kaz ta` tixwix? Ghax ikollok ommijiet ixewwxu lill-uliedhom kontra missierhom stess.
L Zammit
Oct 16th 2012, 14:02
amen
Ms Rudi Mcbeal
Oct 16th 2012, 14:04
"if he does not return he was never yours."
Never yours?!
That quote definitely does not apply for parents and their offspring, Mr Chetcuti. A child you bring in to the world will always remain yours. No matter what!
Luciano Chetcuti
Oct 16th 2012, 16:10
@ R. Gauci
Il-verita' xi darba jew ohra titla fil-wicc. Il-maturita' tghin fl-ghazla ta' min verament ihobbok u min le, minkejja t-tixwix.
@Ms Rudi Mcbeal
Yes, I agree, but if a parent does not care for the child, the child will notice and feel who really cares, and will be attracted to the person showing love and will reject that parent who does not care at all.
Joseph Borg
Oct 16th 2012, 13:11
B'dak li gara aktar ghamel hsara lill ibnu ghax tefu aktar f'dispjacir u dulur u wisq iktar meta jaf li t-tifel qied fiz zmien krucjali ta hajtu biex forsi jkollu futur sodisfacenti. Tinsiex li dan dahal l-universita u mhux cajta l-istudju u l-istress li jkollom studenti universitarji. Dan missu gab quddiem ghajneh missieru j
Carmel Borg
Oct 16th 2012, 13:43
Il-piena tal-habs ma wehheliex il-missier izda l-qorti. Il-missier talab gustizzja u mhux it-tip ta' piena.
Joseph Borg
Oct 16th 2012, 14:39
@Carmel Borg
Read the first paragraph carefully. Besides a few days ago in another article her ex husband said she deserved to get a punishment. When taking the case in court one can realize what kind of a punishment she can gets.
Lawrence Zammit
Oct 16th 2012, 13:11
As the court grants Shylock his bond and Antonio prepares for Shylock's knife, Portia points out that the contract only allows Shylock to remove the flesh, not the "blood", of Antonio. Thus, if Shylock were to shed any drop of Antonio's blood, his "lands and goods" would be forfeited under Venetian laws. Further damning Shylock's case, she tells him that he must cut precisely one pound of flesh;
Joseph Brincat
Oct 16th 2012, 13:11
THE PROBLEM IS ,
CAN ANYONE ONE STOP A 16 YEAR OLD ,
STOPPING HIM WHAT HE REALLY WONT TO DO ??
FOR GOD SAKE HE IS NOT A BOY ANY MORE !!!
Carmel Borg
Oct 16th 2012, 13:29
Really?
without entering the merits of this particular case, would you allow a 16 year old enter home at the time they want, bring home whoever they like at any time, study or not, eat healthy or not, continue studyiong or not etyc...? Will you not at ,least try to convince them? If you try not, then they might as well not have a parent at all.
Joseph Brincat
Oct 16th 2012, 15:27
Carmel Borg
@ Will you not at ,least try to convince them?
YES you ' TRY' to convince him , but he still have a mind of his own
for he isn't a boy any more , you can not use force ,
so if he wont to do something of his own he will do it
no matter how much you told him not to do it
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19742012
James Tyrrell
Oct 16th 2012, 13:08
She didn't deny you access to your son, your son wants nothing to do with you.
Eric Soames
Oct 16th 2012, 14:40
James Tyrrell: Oh come on! You're an intimate family friend now?
James Tyrrell
Oct 16th 2012, 16:59
@Eric Soames. For all you know I could be, but no I just had the advantage of reading the original story. You want to try it sometime.
Kurt Vella
Oct 16th 2012, 13:02
Why is it that the woman is always made out to be the victim. In some cases she may well be but in others women are not. One thing is sure...no man can love or hate like a woman does ! Programs like Xarabanl are an insult to our laws...they should not be allowed to discuss and skew particular cases.
Ronald Cauchi
Oct 16th 2012, 13:47
I am no supporter of Xarabank. Actually i cant stand it. And to say that no man hates like a woman does is frankly ultra-chauvinistic. The whole point is that parents do not always know what good for their children and this was very much a case in point. If the courts had stopped long enough to listen to the boy the whole tragic comedy would not have taken place.
Mr Mike Farrugia
Oct 16th 2012, 12:59
I think it was only fair to check why the boy was not under the responsiblity of the father in the firrst place. Why did the mother have full custody?
Ms D. Borg
Oct 16th 2012, 14:35
The father left them when the woman was only two months pregnant. Do you expect the father to have custody of the child?
matthew tanti
Oct 16th 2012, 12:55
i think that before judging we should have a look at the court judgement. this is available publicly on the justice ministry website via this link - all you need to do is enter the date and the name of the judge:
http://www.justiceservices.gov.mt/courtservices/Judgements/search.aspx?func=thisyear
victor caruana
Oct 16th 2012, 12:50
It seems that the authorities messed it up as regards gender equality.....clarifications please from the president down....
Mr Ernest Vella
Oct 16th 2012, 12:50
Gustizzja FARSA - niehdu l-OSCAR ghal kemm ahna tac-cajt!!! Il-Parlament missu jzarma...hemm Peppi jmexxi kollox...basta qishom tfal zghar il-PL u l-PN!!!! Shame
Eddy Privitera
Oct 16th 2012, 12:42
Haga wahda nghid. F'dawn l-affarijiet min ihawwad il-borma jku jaf x'fiha !
R. Azzopardi
Oct 16th 2012, 12:47
Hekk hu sur privitera. Id wahda ma ccapcapx!
S. Bonello
Oct 16th 2012, 13:03
Ma fhimt xejn qisek Sur Privitera, basta tghid xi haga.
Il borma hadd ma jinterssah x'fiha. In-nies kontra l-ligi f'dan il kaz u s-sens komun rebah.
Issa kellu bzonn jirrangaw il ligi.
Ms. P.M Graham
Oct 16th 2012, 12:41
The one thing that has worried me slightly throughout this whole story, is how many people, I would imagine parents, who declare that they cannot "make" their child do something they don't want to do. That in itself is ludicrous, and a cop out if I may say.
In this situation however the need for Judges, to talk to children has most definitely been highlighted and lessons should be learned.
Matthew Grima
Oct 16th 2012, 12:51
I wouldn't blame the mother for not forcing her son to visit the father who walked out on him before he was even born.
C. Vella
Oct 16th 2012, 14:38
Mr grima .... are you sure he walked away. For all we know the mother could have sent him away to staisfy her needs. The court rarely of ever gives custody to the father.
Carmel Borg
Oct 16th 2012, 12:38
I agree with the pardon from jail, but no punishment at all???
What does a parent do if their son does not want to:
1) go to school?
2) eat and drink anything at all?
3) care for his own well being?
4) etc....
Stay passive cos he's 16 and can decide on his own? or try convince them through appropriate means?
My idea of a good parent is the latter
J Grima
Oct 16th 2012, 13:09
a good parent is one who listens to the child. i am glad you have perfect children!
Luciano Chetcuti
Oct 16th 2012, 13:16
Hafna drabi lil uliedna ahna stess qed inhassruhom bil-fsied li nfisduhom. U ma tistax tirranga s-sigra ladarba din thalliet titla' mghawga.
Carmel Borg
Oct 16th 2012, 13:19
@ J Grima
I have 5 children aged from 2 to 16. They're far from perfect and nor am I. I must admit that I adore them but not to the verge of allowing them do everything they want.
Listening is part of good parenting but trying to take the right actions is also very important and sometimes the right action is not what they (the children) want.
Carmel Borg
Oct 16th 2012, 13:25
@ Luciano
naqbel. kulltant insiba difficli naraf il bilanc bejn il-fsied li kultant hemm bzonnu wkoll u d-dixxiplina. Imma ghallinqas bhall ma ghidt lil Grima "I try" nipprova. Jekk ma jirnexxilix, imbghad nahseb li ma jkolli xejn fuq il-kuxjenza avolja zgur li jiddispjacini.
Emanuel Gafa'
Oct 16th 2012, 12:33
I have worked with this woman for 2 years. She strained herself to give her son every possibilty to help him to get good qualifications. She have spent much of her accounts in his education. Yet she never uttered hatred words against her x husband. Let's leave God to do the judgement. One day every human has to face Him
Carmel Borg
Oct 16th 2012, 12:46
I believe in God's judgement. However this should not stop us from trying to see civil justice done in this world. Otherwise we shall live in a greater chaos we are already living in.
stephen mifsud
Oct 16th 2012, 12:33
mmmm i dont knowww??????? but to me this is way to many mistakes as it should have been resolved way before were we are now with it .
Mr Kevin Zammit
Oct 16th 2012, 12:30
This gent needs to get his head out of the sand. He does not see whats wrong with what he does and says. You do not send someone to jail because the woman missed 13 out of 850 occasions (16 the boys age x 52 weeks)
Leo Bartolo
Oct 16th 2012, 12:29
First of all I am glad that this mother was pardoned from her 3 months jail sentence.I do not watch Xarabank, I have better things to do. But,may I ask, was the father concerned in this case invited to the Xarabank programme to express his views?
Frans Aguis
Oct 16th 2012, 12:29
I never think she should have gone to jail, but the court should find a way of ensuring the son has more access to his father.For instance shared custody as the mother was not honoring visitation rights.
Carmel Grima
Oct 16th 2012, 12:25
Povru min jigi taht idejn il-gustizzja ta' Malta. Jien ilni nipprova nnaddaf isem missieri, Karm Grima ghal dawn l-ahhar 33 sena. Avukati sibt imma inghataw promotion u hallewni bla kliem u bla sliem. Hemm l-Inkjesta fuq il-frame-up ta' missieri imma Dr. EFA hbija u Dr. Alfred Sant seraqha ghax imdahhla iz-zewg partiti. Bil-mod ghat nirbah ghax il-gustiaaja Divina trid tasal.
Malcolm Seychell
Oct 16th 2012, 12:25
He is right. This is madness...... This means that whoever goes on Xarabank asking for forgiveness will be free????
Joseph Camilleri
Oct 16th 2012, 12:21
I have one message to the father if he reads this. Marriage is a sacrifice and total commitment. It seems that the couple has failed to love one another, but they both fail to see the need that the boy needs them both. Whatever the case both have erred and by sending the mother or the father to jail in this matter only more harm is done. they should both call it a day and move on.
m busuttil
Oct 16th 2012, 12:13
dear father please be happy for your son his mother has proven that he was and is being brought up well if she did not do so your son would not be at uni now and that is all that counts that you have a fine boy a sensible young gentleman for the future not a lazy son close your eyes and forgive and forget the past do not harm your son future
C. Vella
Oct 16th 2012, 14:43
And what about the mother who refused access to their son. Shouldn't she forgive and allow the father to see his son. After all during summer there are no A-Levels. I think this woman has failed to come out with all the truth. Prime minister peppi did the rest.
Paul Azzopardi
Oct 16th 2012, 15:03
Are you kidding is that the best you can say to the father??? Cause he is at Uni?? What we should be saying is forget it mate, they both dont care about you even though you've been fighting to see your son and get some respect for the last 18yrs. Nobody cares what you feel and you are wasting ur time cause the crowds & media has decided to condemn you. Stop wasting ur life & move on. Sorry 4 U.
Antonio Micallef
Oct 16th 2012, 12:13
This decision has created a very dangerous precedent.
Michael McCharty
Oct 16th 2012, 13:07
Well said Sir, I totally agree with your good self, and may I say what a dangerous precedent it is, I can already imagine mother's in this same situation telling the police sergeant on duty, each and every time their husbands will lodge a report at the police station for not be able to see his son "" Sorry surgent, imma t-tifel ghandu 16 u ma jixteqx imur taaa"" time will prove us both RIGHT
twanny borg
Oct 16th 2012, 15:17
ma naqbilx. il-pulizija xorta tiehu passi bil-ligi. tiddeciedi l-qorti. zball f'dan il-kaz il-qorti marret mill-ewwel ghal habs u ma tatx cans l-affarijiet jitrangaw bil-mod. zball iehor huwa li l-omm ma qaltlux biex ma jmurx jara l-missieru.
r buttigieg
Oct 17th 2012, 15:34
@ twanny borg... did you read the article???? resorted to court on the first instance u sad? The article said 13 times!!!!
M Borg
Oct 16th 2012, 12:13
You are a father, do you really think that by your action your son is going to love you more ?
I think that you have now lost your son .
M Busuttil
Oct 16th 2012, 12:10
Hope everyone gets the same treatment now and you don't need to be on Xarabank to get all the attention of the cabinet and president.
Or otherwise the judical system is really in a bad bad state!
I'm not saying this woman had to stay in prison.
donald borg
Oct 16th 2012, 12:07
A humble suggestion to both parents and their son. "To err is human but to forgive is divine" Show your love to your son by forgiving each other. May GOD help you to be able to reach this honourable decision.
Paul Zammit
Oct 16th 2012, 12:07
No No .. the father is correct .. some form of punishment is due for the mother ... BUT DEFINITELY NOT THE JAIL SICNE NO VIOLENCE/SUCH WAS INVOLVED! That's what we protested about.
C. Vella
Oct 16th 2012, 12:05
What a disaster. What a precedent. Imo all parents who have custody of their children may now refuse visiting rights to their estranged spouse. The estranged spouse will now possibly stop child support payments. Will they be punished or has this become a free for all. Once again it's the children that will suffer. President Abela has just created a major mess of biblical proportions.
Ms S. Fenech
Oct 16th 2012, 12:04
I am sure that President George Abela spoke to his son Robert (who coincidentally is the father's lawyer) and got the father's side of the story.
Carmel Borg
Oct 16th 2012, 12:30
I'm sure that it did not happen that way as otherwise both his excellency and his son would have committed a grave punishable mistake.
I'm no fan of theirs but am confident they they know how to be professional.
George Calleja
Oct 16th 2012, 12:32
If President Abela resorted to ask his son about the whole affair, it would surely be in bad taste. Dr.Abela would never resort to such underhand tactics
Victor Laiviera
Oct 16th 2012, 13:19
The pardon is decided by the cabinet. The President merely signs the paper.
Mr John Borg
Oct 16th 2012, 11:49
"She never told her son, who was then 16, not to spend time with her father. He was old enough to make a decision."
Yes, but lets face it, if a boy (16) is comfortable at home (irrespective of whether there's the mother or the father), he has no incentive to leave the comfort of his home and "waste' time at a place where he has no books, the PC is not his own etc.?
Joseph Brincat
Oct 16th 2012, 12:17
Mr John Borg
@ Yes, but lets face it, if a boy (16) is comfortable at home ??
Yes a ( 16 ) year boy he is comfortable at home, BUT if he really
wanted to see his father , he even would have ran away to his father ???
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19742012
Frans Aguis
Oct 16th 2012, 12:30
Very good point
Please choose the reason of your report below: