During a succession of harassing messages aimed at his ex-wife, a man threatened to kidnap his two children and transport them to Libya; hence, he was given a suspended sentence.
The court was informed that the defendant, a Libyan citizen, sent several voice recordings to his then-spouse in February 2021 threatening to pay €1,000 to have their two small children flown to Libya. He also advised her in the same messages that she would “cry blood” and that he would not let her live in peace, promising to “chase her until death.”
Although the couple broke up in December 2023, hostilities persisted, especially after supervised visits with the children were stopped. The woman told the cops about the threats, which spurred Inspector Audrey Micallef’s investigation. The inspector went through the messages with the assistance of an interpreter and performed a risk assessment, which categorized the woman as being at high risk.
The victim testified in court that after access to the children was denied, the threats increased. She repeated her ex-husband’s statements, “You would have to be dead for you to remarry,” and “I will insist till I burn your blood and you get a heart attack.”
Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech, overseeing the case, determined the man guilty of causing fear of violence and misusing electronic communications. Considering the gravity of the threats, the lack of guilt, and the man’s criminal history, the court ordered ten months in prison suspended for two years.
A three-year restraining order on the victim’s behalf was also imposed by the court, along with a therapy order calling for the man to undertake anger management counseling.
The prosecution was led by Inspector Audrey Micallef.
