A Moroccan man has been sent to jail after seriously abusing his young Monegasque wife over a period of several months. Monaco’s criminal court heard that police were called out a total of eleven times to the couple’s home on avenue Pasteur, after the wife telephoned to complain of violence at the hands of her husband.
Trouble was not long in coming to the marriage after wedding vows were exchanged in April 2016, the court was told, and, as is often the case in domestic violence, the victim at first refused to press charges. Finally, when the victim lodged a criminal complaint, in an attempt to explain away her injuries, the defendant claimed his wife had fallen.
Court President Florestan Bellinzona noted that the assaults were recurring. The defendant admitted he had hit his wife repeatedly, but blamed alcohol for his actions.
“Your wife took a picture with her Smartphone, she had black eyes and there were traces of struggle in the room,” the Judge Bellinzona said.
“When I work, I do not get carried away, but I have a big problem With alcohol,” responded the defendant.
The Deputy Prosecutor pointed out that every day three women die due to domestic violence. “You do not have to accept such behaviour in the Principality. His wife will not see him again. She asks that he never return to the marital home and condemn him to eighteen months,” he argued.
Counsel for the accused faced an uphill task, but nonetheless argued for a non-custodial sentence. The court decided to send the culprit to jail for 12 months, with a restraining order with the victim for two years.