A man who took to persistently harassing his former partner was denied bail because of his emotional and psychological state.

Jesmond Azzopardi, the 46-year old man from Qormi, was taken into police custody after harassing his ex and her sister in Birkirkara yesterday.

Inspector Elton Taliana told the Court how the man’s behaviour towards his former partner amounted to persistent harassment. Refusing to accept the fact that their relationship had broken down, he would turn up outside her door, bombarding her with phone calls and making death threats not only against the woman but also against her sister.

On one occasion, while the latter was at the local police station to file a report about the alleged threats, the man himself had called the complainant on her phone threatening that he would put an end to the situation which he could no longer bear.

The man’s obsession over his ex made him a menace not only to the woman and her relatives but also to himself, Inspector Taliana explained, stressing further that the man needed psychiatric help.

The man pleaded not guilty to having harassed his ex-partner and her sister, threatened to kill them while carrying a sharp and pointed weapon, causing the two women to fear violence. He was further charged with making threatening phone calls, breaching the peace as well as breaching earlier bail conditions.

In view of all the circumstances of the case, the prosecution strongly objected to the request for bail stressing the man’s lack of trustworthiness. “He ignored past bail conditions and cannot alone get a grip on his situation. He needs treatment,” Inspector Taliana told the court.

Upholding the prosecution’s arguments, magistrate Aaron Bugeja, presiding over the arraignment, sounded his preoccupation over the man’s agitated state, which reflected his emotional and psychological turmoil.

The man clearly needed help and for this reason the court turned down the request for bail, appointing a psychiatrist to assess his mental and psychological state, whilst recommending that the prison director should possibly refer the inmate to the Forensic Unit.