A 56-year-old businessman was charged today with having broken his wife's arm in a case of domestic violence at their home in Attard on Sunday evening.

He pleaded not guilty.

His lawyer, Dr Tonio Azzopardi, argued that this was a ploy by the wife who wanted her husband out of the house. The lawyer added that the incident happened when the wife walked in on her husband while he was in the bathroom at their home.

She kicked him and, as he moved forward, she slipped and broke her arm.

He added that there was an ongoing case against her for falsifying Lm9,000 worth of cheques. The wife had even tried to poison her husband by putting detergents in his drinks.

Police Inspector Kevin Farrugia said this was not the first case of violence reported by the woman.

The woman’s lawyers, Joseph Giglio and Stephen Thake, said that their client had once spent two days in hospital due to a concussion.

Magistrate Gabriella Vella denied the man’s request for bail at this stage.