Man charged with attempted murder

A 57-year-old man from Santa Venera was this afternoon charged with the attempted murder of Alan Grima on Sunday at Union Bar in Santa Venera.

The incident happened at around 2:30pm when following an argument between the two men, the accused stabbed Grima in his neck, with a knife.

The accused ran away from the scene but was arrested by the police's Rapid Intervention Unit a short distance away from the Bar in Triq il-Kbira San Guzepp. He was found covered in blood and still clutching the knife.

Grima, 47 of Hamrun was rushed to Mater Dei hospital where he was certified to have suffered grievous injuries but his condition was stable.

Defence lawyer Franco Debono informed the court that the man has been under medical and psychiatric care and is currently awaiting a board's decision to stop working.

Debono held that the accused's only previous brush with the law was a traffic sitting back in 1988. The lawyer pleaded that the man should be placed under house arrest.

The accused's wife took the witness stand and pledged she would guarantee that her husband would not abscond from the house should the court accept the defence's plea. However Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras denied bail after hearing the prosecution's arguments.

Prosecuting inspector Robert Vella argued the accused needs to be detained to prevent other incidents. The man's mental condition does not give the prosecution peace of mind, the inspector said.

Magistrate Galea Sciberras, remanded the accused in custody but advised the Prison's Director to transfer the accused to the Forensic Unit at Mount Carmel Hospital.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri appeared for the accused.