Prosecutors Seek 18-Month Conditional Jail for Nightclub Assault on Ex-Girlfriend and Sister

Prosecutors are seeking 18 months of conditional prison time and a six-year ban on contact for a man accused of assaulting and threatening his then-girlfriend and her sister at a nightclub in El Tarter.

The incident unfolded in the early hours of 21-22 October at the venue, where the woman was with her sister and friends. The man, who had been her partner since March 2023 and shared a flat with her, entered shouting and approached them. He claims he only insulted them while demanding repayment of €3,000 he had lent to the sister for flight tickets to her home country, after hearing from a third party that she had spent it on drugs. He denies any physical violence, insisting the pair continued their relationship and that he had no intention to harm either woman.

Witnesses and the victims describe a different sequence. The man allegedly shoved his girlfriend to the ground, causing injuries, before security guards ejected him. He later re-entered by jumping a terrace fence and running towards them, assaulting the sister who intervened. The girlfriend subsequently received death threat messages. Medical reports confirm injuries to both women, though the defence argues they do not prove the man's involvement.

The couple's relationship had deteriorated since June 2023 amid frequent arguments. The man described them as financial disputes that never escalated, but the woman and those close to her portrayed him as controlling, jealous, and prone to outbursts. Previous incidents included him throwing her phone, kicking her, breaking her finger, constant insults, and death threats to both sisters. Police once responded to their flat after a neighbour's alert over broken furniture, and the man has prior convictions for family abuse.

Prosecutors attribute his actions to jealousy rather than debt collection, citing his aggression as evidenced by security footage, medical evidence, and his history. They have charged him with two minor domestic abuse offences, intentional injuries, two counts of unconditional death threats, and a misdemeanour injury, requesting 18 months conditional jail (suspended for two years) plus the contact ban.

The defence accepts the threats—acknowledging the messages for the first time, but blaming an "emotional outburst" linked to the man's drug and alcohol issues—and the contact ban. They seek only three months conditional nighttime curfew, denying assaults and questioning witness impartiality due to their connections. The man did not attend the hearing.