A 56-year-old man was given a 15-month jail term suspended for three years today for injuring a woman and breaking a bone in her left hand, after she complained that a sofa in a rental apartment he owned was mouldy.

Carmelo Delia, of Xghajra, was found guilty of seriously injuring Charmaine Muscat and slightly injuring her former partner Adrian Farrugia on November 8, 2011 at about 5.15pm.

Magistrate Neville Camilleri heard Ms Muscat testify how she went to the apartment and noticed that the sofa was mouldy. She told Mr Delia  that was detrimental  for her daughter's health. He told her to call Joyce Delia, the landlady.

She did so. Ms Delia - who lived in the same block - went to the apartment and they started arguing. Soon after, Ms Delia's husband, Carmelo, and their son arrived and assaulted her.

She said Mr Delia grabbed her from her top and slammed her against the wall then grabbed a chair and threatened to kill her daughter who was there and crying.

A neighbour intervened to calm things down and she phoned Mr Farrugia.

When Mr Farrugia arrived the men started hitting him. She intervened to stop them and Mr Delia started punching her and hurt her in the face and left hand. It turned out she suffered a broken bone.

In his testimony Mr Delia denied beating her. He said that he and his son went to the apartment after hearing his wife call out for help. When they arrived there his wife was on the floor and, when his son went in, Ms Muscat hit him in the ear with her shoes. When Mr Farrugia arrived he too hit his son and he (Mr Delia) pulled his son away. He said that, at that point, he may have scratched Ms Muscat.

After evaluating the various versions and medical evidence the magistrate found Mr Delia guilty of seriously injuring the woman and slightly injuring Mr Farrugia.

He was, however, cleared of hurling objects at them and threatening them.

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