A magistrate yesterday warned a man charged with threatening to kill his estranged wife that, if he really loved his son who is 7, he would stay out of trouble and not do anything that could send him to jail.

Magistrate Ian Farrugia made the comment when the 36-year-old man, who cannot be named by court order, told him it was his love for his son that got him into trouble.

“You’re saying that but I tell you that you are here because you do not respect your son enough. If you really love your son you would stay away from jail and not get yourself into situations for which you may end up in jail. If you truly love the boy then you should stay out of jail and live a normal life for him. I hope you choose the right path from now on,” the magistrate told him.

The man, from Luqa, pleaded not guilty to threatening his wife, harassing her, threatening his mother-in-law, breaching the peace, misusing telecommunications equipment, disobeying police orders and escaping from police custody last Saturday and on Tuesday.

The court refused to grant the accused bail.

Police Inspector Paula Ciantar prosecuted.

Legal aid lawyer Yana Micallef Stafrace appeared for the accused.

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