Men charged with betting outlet hold-up attempt

Two men have been denied bail after being arraigned before a court this morning charged with last Sunday’s failed attempt to rob a betting outlet at gunpoint.

Magistrate Claire Louise Stafrace heard Inspectors Saviour Baldacchino and Malcolm Bondin charge Reno Azzopardi, of Cospicua, and Domenic Fava, of St. Paul’s Bay, aged 30 and 45 respectively, with attempted theft from Fair Play in St. Paul’s Bay last Sunday 14 June, aggravated by the use of arms proper, means, violence and value.

The pair were also charged with illegally holding a person against their will and relapsing.

In addition to these charges, Fava alone was accused of supplying the weapon and breaching the conditions of a probation order, whilst Azzopardi was accused of assaulting the betting shop employee, causing him slight injury, being in possession of an unlicensed firearm, using it during the commission of a crime and with using violence to induce a person to do his bidding.

Azzopardi was also charged with having been in possession of heroin in circumstances denoting it was not solely for his personal use on the 16 June.

Legal aid lawyer Joseph Ellis requested bail for the two men, who are unemployed, but the court turned down this request after the prosecution objected on the grounds that there was a risk of them approaching witnesses.