Gozo lawyer's murderer appeals life sentence

David Zerafa, who on 18^th June was found guilty of murdering Dr Michael Grech back in 2005, appealed from the life sentence given by Magistrate Lawrence Quintano.

Defence lawyer Malcolm Mifsud claimed the trial was peppered with irregularities, which led to an unfair hearing. 

"The court handed an excessive punishment that goes beyond that allowed. Furthermore the verdict should be annulled, as the jury did not submit a decision over the charge of relapsing" Malcolm Mifsud said.

The defence noted how the Magistrate's final address could have misinterpreted the law and thus misdirected the jury.

The defence said the prosecution had in its possession since July 2005 the police statements given by the two brothers. The defence was only made aware of these statements on 16 June 2013. These statements were not included in the compilation of evidence. Nonetheless, the prosecution used them during the trial to try and expose inconsistencies in the evidence of Jeffrey and Emanuele Zerafa.

The defence claimed all the procedural irregularities constitute a breach of right for a fair trial and the court should accept the appeal.

The jury had found David Zerafa guilty of all five charges raised against him.

The sentence given by Magistrate Lawrence Quintano was the third life sentence delivered since the beginning of this year.