Man accused of tying up and raping his ex-partner has been released on bail

A Hungarian online casino host was remanded in custody on Wednesday after being accused of tying up his former partner and forcing her to perform sexual acts.

The man, whose name will not be released due to a court order, was accused of rape, holding the woman against her will and making her fear violence against her. He was also accused of consuming cannabis in the presence of the ex-couple’s three-year-old son.

Inspector Wayne Buhagiar told the court that at around 1.30pm on October 14, officers on duty in Qawra were approached by a woman who asked for help and claimed she had been raped by her ex-partner. Police took her to Qawra police station where a formal complaint was lodged.

The inspector told the court that the woman stated that she and her ex-partner had had a heated argument the day before. The woman had slept in the same bed as her son to prevent further incidents. She refused to leave the room when the accused asked her to do so because she was afraid, but eventually complied, the inspector said.

The defendant allegedly forced her to join him in the toilet, where he tied her hands and forced her to perform oral sex on him, ignoring her refusal.

Police then found evidence on the clothing the woman was wearing.

The man pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Lawyer Yanika Bugeja, who was assisting the defendant as legal aid, applied for bail and told the court that the defendant was not given information about the cannabis allegation at the investigation stage and therefore could not have informed her client about it. Nevertheless, he was asked about it during the interrogation, said the lawyer.

In its counterarguments, the prosecution opposed bail, arguing that the defendant had no links to Malta. She emphasized the seriousness of the situation and the charges, as well as the risk that he could tamper with evidence.

Bugeja argued that the crime cannot be changed. She stated that he had been in Malta for six years, had a full-time job in Malta and had a fixed address. “He also has a child who lives in Malta. If that’s not a connection to the islands, I don’t know what is.”

The prosecution argued that although the defendant had been living in Malta for eight years, the connections he had established were elusive as he had been on and off the island during this time. Although the defense argued that he had a child, the prosecution told the court that the defendant threatened to kidnap the child and return to Hungary.

After hearing the defense and prosecution, the court, presided over by Magistrate Joe Gatt, refused bail at this stage, noting that there was no assurance that the defendant would comply with the bail conditions, but urged the prosecution to do so to bring victims to testify immediately.

The court also imposed a protection order in favor of the woman and restricted the defendant’s ability to communicate with her.
The prosecution also argued that a protection order should also be issued for the child. However, after defense counsel objected due to the child’s young age, the court rejected this request.

Lawyer Yanika Bugeja was the defense attorney. Attorney Darlene Grima represented the Attorney General’s Office.