Lawyer Emmy Bezzina will ask the Commission for the Administration of Justice to investigate unwarranted comments made by a magistrate who described a libel suit he filed as “hateful and frivolous”.

While he respected the decision of Magistrate Francesco Depasquale to rule against him, the comments he passed in handing down judgment were uncalled for, Dr Bezzina told a news conference yesterday.

Last month, Magistrate Depasquale rebuked Dr Bezzina, known for his flamboyance, for filing a “hateful and frivolous” libel suit against the estranged wife of his client.

The case revolved around a suit filed by Dr Bezzina on behalf of both his client and his two-year-old daughter, against his client’s estranged wife and her mother.

In August 2008, when the couple, now divorced, were undergoing separation proceedings, the wife alleged that her husband had forced himself upon her. She reported the matter to police and he was taken to court, the lawyer said.

Since then the case has been decided and the husband was acquitted of the charges.

Meanwhile, he filed a libel case against his wife and her mother over defamatory comments made throughout the separation proceedings and criminal case.

As a consequence of their comments he was stopped from spending time with his daughter, who is five years old today, Dr Bezzina said.

His client had even filed a police report claiming that his wife was lying about him, but no criminal action was taken. Magistrate Depasquale threw out the libel case saying such cases should not be used by one spouse to damage the other.

The magistrate also fined the husband €700 for wasting the court’s time and referred the matter to the Commission for the Administration of Justice, calling for Dr Bezzina to be investigated for filing these proceedings.

During a press conference yesterday, Dr Bezzina said he had filed an appeal to the judgment.

He said that while the magistrate may have had his reasons to throw out the case, he objected to the unwarranted comments made.

Dr Bezzina also said he would be filing a challenge with the Police Commissioner asking that police to take criminal action against his client’s wife and her mother for lying about him.