A man who caused a ruckus at his estranged partner's home after she told him that she used him "like toilet paper” has been sentenced to three years probation.

The 43-year-old Qormi man, who suffers from a mental disorder, was accused of kicking open and damaging the front door, and threatening his former partner in an incident which happened on April 2 of this year.

The court heard that three months prior to the incident, the victim had told the accused that she no longer felt attracted to him and wanted to end their seven-year relationship.

However, on the eve of the incident, the accused rekindled his hopes after speaking to his estranged partner over the phone. The following day his hope was once again dashed, when she told him that she was interested in three other men.

By her own admission the woman had told the victim that she had “used him like toilet paper”, thus triggering his emotional rage which landed him in hot water.

Psychiatrist David Cassar told the court that the accused had been his patient for some 20 years and suffered from severe Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder which leads to Dysmorphophobia.

Dysmorphophobia is a mental disorder characterized by an obsessive preoccupation that some aspect of one’s own appearance is severely flawed and warrants exceptional measures to hide or fix it.

In this case the accused was obsessed that he had to wear sunglasses at all times.

The psychiatrist said that the accused felt “deceived, betrayed and used by a person who had become the most important person in his life.” According to Dr Cassar, the victim was the only person with whom the accused felt comfortable confiding.

The expert stated that following the incident the man’s mental state had stabilised, and that he was regaining full control of his emotions and behaviour. The accused now understands that his relationship is over, the psychiatrist told the court.

He argued that there was no need to keep the accused inside a psychiatric facility, though he still needed medication and regular psychiatric evaluations.

In its decision, the court presided by Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera placed the man under a three-year probation order during which his behaviour would be evaluated at regular six-month intervals.

The defendant was prohibited from approaching his estranged partner or face a fine of €2,330 and up to six-months in prison. The prosecution was led by Inspector Roderick Agius.