A 49-year old man was handed an eight-month jail term suspended for three years after pleading guilty to threatening and stalking the mother of his 12-year-old child at Żabbar and Tarxien on Saturday.

Giorgio Marino, who lives in Żabbar, was also charged with damaging the woman’s car tyres and was fined €90 to cover the damage.

A three-year protection order was also placed on the victim.

Mr Marino, a tile-layer, was accused of stalking the woman in her car and threatening her with murder.

Defence council Joseph Ellis said the accused was sorry for what he had done – “passion had taken over” and he did not have any intention of harming the victim.

Magistrate Edwina Grima presided over the case while police inspectors Spiridione Zammit and Fabian Fleri prosecuted.

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