A man who allegedly threatened to kill his partner unless she moved out of their rented home was granted bail after pleading not guilty to charges of domestic violence.

The 48-year old man from Żurrieq was arraigned on Monday following a report by the woman about the violence which allegedly took place inside the couple’s residence on Saturday.

The following day, the alleged victim told the police she had been threatened she would be killed by the father of her two minor children unless she moved out of their home within one week.

She also alleged to have been beaten by the man in a separate incident earlier in October.

An assessment of the case by the Domestic Violence Unit led to the man’s arrest and arraignment. He was charged with causing the woman to fear violence and assaulting her in the earlier incident.

A request for bail was made by the man’s defence counsel who pointed out that the charges were to be taken within the context of a relationship breakdown and that there would be no further contact between the couple once the woman moved out.

While not objecting to bail as long as adequate measures were imposed by the court, prosecuting Inspector Roderick Attard pointed out that the woman was not to be forced out of the property. “He allegedly committed the wrong and so he should move out,” the inspector insisted.

After hearing submissions by both parties, duty magistrate Rachel Montebello upheld the request for bail against a deposit of €300, a personal guarantee of €2,000 and a duty to sign the bail book twice a week.

The man was further placed under a protection order, with strict orders not to approach the alleged victim and to inform the court of his new address within one week.

Lawyers Mark Refalo and Manuel Galea were defence counsel.