An outing to the Marsa feast in 2013 ended in a violent row between a couple when a woman had allegedly stabbed her partner in his genitals, while he hit her on the head with a piece of wood.

Alfred Farrugia, 51, from Marsa was today cleared of having attempted to cause grievous injury to his partner, Carmen Meilaq, when, following her alleged provocation, he overstepped all reasonable limits.

The accused told the court that an argument had arisen when he saw the woman get out of a gray car driven by a man who allegedly had stopped to ask her whether she was a prostitute.

According to the woman's version, she had been walking home alone when a passing car stopped and she had turned the driver away.

In the course of the heated argument that followed, the woman retaliated to a slap on the face by pulling out a penknife and stabbing the accused in the groin.

The accused had told the court that since Ms Meilaq had told him she wanted to kill him and seeing her prepare to stab him again, he had grabbed a piece of wood and hit her on the head. While giving chase, the man had finally collapsed due to the blood loss and lay unconscious on the street.

The court presided by Magistrate Josette Demicoli noted that Ms Meilak, who is accused of Mr Farrugia's attempted murder in separate proceedings, chose not to testify in these proceedings for fear of self-incrimination.

The court noted that there was no evidence pointing to the specific criminal intent required at law on the part of the accused to grievously injure the woman. 

Moreover, since Ms Meilak chose not to testify there was no sufficient evidence to find the man guilty of the lesser charge of slight bodily harm.

"In any case, from the statement issued by the accused, he was invoking legitimate self defence," the magistrate observed. Mr Farrugia was acquitted of all charges.