The man from Machico filmed violently assaulting his partner in front of their child in August will be released from preventive detention and placed under house arrest with electronic monitoring.
This decision was made on Wednesday by the criminal investigation judge as part of the periodic review of coercive measures. The man had been charged with two counts of aggravated domestic violence.
The case attracted national outrage after surveillance footage of the attack was publicized. The assault occurred in front of the couple’s minor child at their residence in the Água de Pena area. The nine-year-old boy was heard pleading for his father to stop the attack, which took place at 4 a.m. on August 24.
Images of the victim, treated at Machico’s health center before being transferred to Dr. Nélio Mendonça Hospital for initial surgery, were also released.
The woman’s partner, a firefighter in Machico, has been identified by the PSP and the case forwarded to the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The Machico Municipal Firefighters’ Command expressed “deep consternation” over the incident involving a member of their organization, denouncing it as “completely reprehensible.”
In the aftermath, acquaintances of the suspect described the situation as “public and recurring,” claiming he boasted his actions as “a man’s attitude.” Friends of the victim reported that the suspect threatened to take the 9-year-old child away, boasting of his higher income. Despite being widely known, the situation was never reported to authorities.
Allegedly, for several years the suspect maintained an extramarital relationship with another woman, who also suffered abuse. Following the incident, the suspect publicly expressed “deep regret,” stating, “I saw some messages and lost control. I’m sorry.”
In September, the man’s defense requested his release, but the Supreme Court rejected the request, finding no grounds for a habeas corpus appeal.
