A woman who claimed her former husband never wanted children and had wanted her to commit an abortion when she first got pregnant has been awarded almost €65,000 in child maintenance arrears.

The court heard that the couple got married in 2001 and the relationship started going downhill when their first child was born.

The woman claimed that her husband never wanted the child and asked for an abortion. She also claimed he was controlling and refused to let her have friends or visit her family.

But the man said he pushed his wife to visit her family but she always refused. He said the relationship deteriorated when he found that she was visiting fortune tellers.

He alleged he was the victim of emotional violence and noted that she had sent letters to the Department of Citizenship to try and stop him from becoming Maltese.

In his judgement, Mr Justice Noel Cuschieri said that the marriage had irrevocably broken down.

He said the father’s behaviour had a negative impact on his children and the mother’s attitude towards married life was not conducive to the creation of a serene relationship.

The judge ordered the husband to pay €64, 657 to his former wife in lieu of child maintenance in arrears.

He also assigned the property to the woman as she had paid the house loan by herself.

The couple cannot be named by court order.