A 27-year-old father from Żebbuġ was granted bail against stringent conditions after being charged with having yesterday afternoon, in a fit of rage, slammed his car repeatedly into another vehicle his estranged partner was seated in.

The man was charged with having attempted to seriously injure the woman, with having driven in a reckless and dangerous manner and with having damaged the two vehicles involved. The man, who is also a relapser, was accused of having on two other occasions in February and December 2016 been involved in similar incidents of reckless driving and of violence towards his former partner.

The court, presided by magistrate Monica Vella, heard the prosecution explain how yesterday at around 2.00 pm, the accused allegedly chased the car his estranged partner, who is also the mother of his children, was a passenger in along St Paul's Street, Cospicua.

The defence argued that the accused was driven into a rage by the woman's persistent refusal to grant him access to his children.

The court was told that although the alleged victim of yesterday's violence had three children with the accused, she had only registered one of them as the man's child, declaring the other two as being of an unknown father. However, the woman insisted on demanding maintenance from the man for all three children.

Since the accused, who is currently employed as storekeeper, could not afford to pay maintenance for all three children, his ex decided to deny him access to the children, the court heard. 

The court upheld the request for bail by the defence against a deposit of €6,000 and a personal guarantee of €12,000. Moreover, the accused was barred from driving for the duration of the proceedings, given that this was not the first time he found himself in hot water due to reckless driving.

The court also ordered the man to sign the bail book twice weekly and to avoid all contact with his ex-partner for any reason whatsoever. A Protection Order was also issued in favour of the woman and her relatives.

Inspector Josric Mifsud prosecuted. Lawyer Yanica Bugeja was legal aid.