The entire congregation of the Evangelical Baptist Church can expect a court summons after it witnessed a woman being punched in the face during an argument with her husband last Sunday.

The couple continued bickering in court yesterday as the man, Ferhat Bouchehioua, 59, from Tunisia but living in Qormi, denied slightly injuring his estranged wife Rosianne.

He also pleaded not guilty to relapsing and breaching a protection order and bail conditions.

Police Inspector Joseph Agius told Magistrate Carol Peralta the couple have pending separation proceedings.

He said that for some reason, Ms Bouchehioua went to the Baptist church when she usually attended a Catholic service at the Qormi parish church.

She took her young son and when he waved at his father she pulled him away. Her husband told her to be careful with the boy.

At that point she threw her coffee at him and in retaliation he punched her, the inspector said.

At one point, Mr Bouchehioua told the court he would produce the pastor of the service as a witness. His wife went a step further and said she would get the whole congregation to act as witnesses and in response he said he would do so too.

Magistrate Peralta remanded Mr Bouchehioua in custody and called on the pair to come to an amicable agreement over their separation.