A man was held in remand today after the latest episode of a long-running family feud which had children at its centre.

The man was arrested on Sunday evening at around 6.30pm after turning up at Żebbuġ police station following an argument with his ex-wife and her father in Siġġiewi. He allegedly said he would kill his father-in-law or some other member of the family if allowed to leave.

Sensing the man’s agitated state and knowing fully well that there had been repeated incidents involving the estranged couple sparked off by arguments concerning their three minor children, the police placed the man under arrest.

Appearing before duty magistrate Josette Demicoli, accompanied by his elderly parents, the man looked about nervously as his former wife entered the courtroom together with her father.

The woman appeared to avoid eye contact with the accused, only occasionally consulting her lawyer, while Inspector Roderick Agius explained how such family feuds had been going on for the past six years, at regular intervals.

“I must admit that the arrested person is not a bad man but unless this problem is resolved, such incidents will persist,” the prosecutor pointed out, adding that every weekend one of the parties would likely turn up at the police station to file a report.

Following the latest incident, the man was charged with having made death threats against family members of his estranged wife, uttered obscene language in public, breached the peace as well as having driven in a dangerous and reckless manner. The man was further charged with being a relapser.

After pleading not guilty and requesting bail, the man sat nervously in the dock, his anxious mother standing close behind, hands clasped firmly before her, while defence lawyer Noel Bianco explained that his client lived with his parents and had an irregular work pattern.

The defence counsel explained how most of the man’s problems stemmed from issues regarding access to his three minor children. Whenever he was meant to meet his children, his ex’s father would allegedly turn up and provoke him, the lawyer informed the court.

However, inspector Agius, who claimed to know the parties fairly well, having witnessed their continuous scenes over a number of years, objected to bail pointing out that several witnesses were still to testify and besides, the man was not sufficiently trustworthy.

The court, upholding the arguments put forward by the prosecution, turned down the request for bail, ordering a ban on the publication of all names to protect the interests of the minors involved.

No sooner had the court delivered its decision that the man’s estranged wife and father-in-law hurried out of the courtroom, following shortly by the arrested man and his own parents, under police escort.

However, barely a few seconds had lapsed when the sound of raised voices reached the courtroom. “You’ve sent him to jail when he is not guilty,” the accused’s mother shouted in the Court corridor, addressing the inspector who patiently tried to calm down the aggrieved mother.

“His father-in-law once told me ‘I want to ruin your son’” the woman told the officer, as the accused was led away.

Inspector Roderick Agius prosecuted.

Lawyer Noel Bianco was defence counsel.