A 27-year-old Libyan was conditionally discharged this afternoon after pleading guilty to harassing and threatening to kill a woman who he had obsessed about and wanted to marry.

Ahmed Aqeil appeared before Magistrate Neville Camilleri charged with threatening Ali Dejabili, his former girlfriend over whom he was obsessed, causing her fear that violence will be used against her, misusing telephone equipment, failing to obey police orders and breaching the peace.

The court heard how Mr Aqeil called his girlfriend several times and on one occasion, she found 28 missed calls from an unknown number. During one of the calls, the accused had threatened to kill her and even told her she would regret ever meeting him.

He resisted his arrest and even escaped from police custody, slightly injuring two police officers in the process, and later told police he escaped because he was scared he would be deported and sent back to Libya.

Magistrate Camilleri conditionally discharged him for two years and also issued a three-year protection order, warning the accused that he could not approach her or even speak to her for the next three years.

Police Inspector Jason Sultana prosecuted while lawyer Noel Bartolo appeared for the man as legal aid.