A man has been held in remand after a brawl last Sunday with a former police inspector who is the estranged husband of his partner. 

David Joseph Gauci, 29, from Birkirkara, was denied bail after pleading not guilty to having grievously injured the former inspector, damaged his clothes and breached the public peace in a fight which ended up on the street outside Smart Supermarket in Birkirkara.

The former inspector was released on bail after having been charged over the same incident. 

The Court banned publication of the former inspector's name so as to protect his children in view of ongoing separation proceedings between him and their mother. 

Mr Gauci's defence lawyer said that it was the former police inspector who had turned up outside her client's residence which resulted in the violent clash.

The incident happened in the presence of the former police inspector's children, aged six and nine.

The prosecution objected to the request for bail pointing out that this had not been a one-off fight.

"This conflict has been bubbling away for some time before it erupted,” the prosecution remarked.

In view of the nature of the charges and Mr Gauci's police record, the court denied him bail observing that at this stage he did not offer sufficient guarantee that he would be able to abide by the bail conditions.

Some of his relatives, who were present in court, met the decision with loud disapproval pointing out that this was "a huge injustice" because my son was only protecting his partner and the children. Mr Gauci's mother remarked that the ex-police officer had gone for her son at his own home.

Inspector Elton Taliana prosecuted.

Lawyer Yanika Camilleri was defence counsel.