A man accused of keeping his estranged wife hostage inside an underground cave for three days has been denied bail yet again. 

Roddy Swinton Williams, the 37-year-old Seychelles-born man facing charges, will remain behind bars under preventive arrest while criminal proceedings continue in his regard.

The decision to deny Mr Williams bail comes just days after his estranged wife, Nathalie Williams, spent hours testifying via video conferencing call. 

Ms Williams said her estranged husband shoved her into the underground chamber beneath Fort Ricasoli - "trapped like a mouse" - and kept her there, cold and confused, for three days, raping her several times. 

Under cross-examination, she said that she had never asked for food or drink throughout the ordeal. 

READ: 'I felt trapped like a mouse'

Her ability to testify had been a bone of contention between the defence and prosecutors, with the latter presenting medical certificates stating that Ms Williams was unable to testify and the defence insisting she was unwilling, rather than unable to do so.

She was only given the green light to testify after a psychiatrist was appointed by the Criminal Court to examine her, at the defence's request.

On Wednesday, magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit was faced with a fresh request for bail.

She took into consideration various factors such as the seriousness of the alleged offence, the protection of public order, the risk of pressure on witnesses, including members of the victim’s family, the risk of absconding as well as the protection of public order.

The magistrate noted that Mr Williams had not given adequate guarantee as to his work contract and accommodation. Nor had he offered sufficient guarantee of keeping away from his estranged wife and her family.

For these reasons the court turned down the request for bail concluding that for the time being there were “still grave reasons for the accused to be kept in custody.”

Inspectors Josric Mifsud and Paula Ciantar are prosecuting. Lawyers Franco Debono, Marion Camilleri and Yanika Vidal are defence counsel. Lawyers Ludvic Caruana and Janice Borg are appearing parte civile.