Bail denied for two men who threatened 77-year-old with knife

Two young men, Peter Dingli and Ryan Paul De Thier, were remanded in custody after they were charged threatening a 77-year-old man with a knife.

The Court was told how on 13 October 2024 the police received reports on an elderly person being robbed at knife-point.

On 20 October 2024, whilst the police were collecting the CCTV footage which recorded the altercation, they coincidentally saw the two individuals on the street, both of which they arrested.

The accused were identified as Peter Dingli, 21, who lives in Mtarfa, a chef, and Ryan Paul De Thier, 25, who lives in Pembroke, a games presenter.

Both accused individually pled not guilty. The prosecution objected on the basis that they do not have a fixed address, live in a hostel, and have unaddressed drug addictions. The defence counter -argued that De Thier could potentially reside with his girlfriend, who has a Maltese address.

The prosecution further said that both of the accused individuals had not known each other for more than two weeks, and Dingli was kicked out of the house where he resided with his parents. They said the address of De Thier’s girlfriend was a residence owned by her parents.

The Court, presided by Magistrate Nadine Sant Lia, declined the defence’s request for bail observing that if bail were to be granted it would be difficult to serve notice of court hearings. 

The prosecution was led by Inspector Steph Stafrace, and lawyer Juliana Magri Conti. Lawyer Martina Herrera and Julia Micallef Stafrace headed the defence counsel.