A jilted husband, who bit his wife’s new lover’s face and thumb in an argument, was placed on probation for three years yesterday.

Chinoso Okeakpu, 34, grievously injured Musah Karim at around 1am in Qormi in August 2012.

Prosecuting Inspector Roderick Agius explained the Nigerian had problems with his wife and strongly objected to their two children – aged four and five – spending time with her partner.

On August 20, he called his wife to tell her he would pick up the children after work. However, he realised that she had taken them to Mr Karim’s apartment in Qormi and immediately went there.

Mr Okeakpu called her again, insisting that she give him the children. When she and her partner left the apartment carrying a child each Mr Okeakpu attacked Mr Karim.

Magistrate Edwina Grima noted the defendant was angry at his wife because, in his opinion, “she was not leading an exemplary life”.

There was no doubt Mr Okeakpu was “in a very agitated state of mind” and was furious when he saw Mr Karim carrying his child, the court heard.

Magistrate Grima placed him under a probation order for three years, fined him €1,000 and ordered him to stay away from Mr Karim for one year against a guarantee of €1,000.