Hawker charged with Santa Venera hold-up

46 year-old Themistocles Attard from Birzebbugia was arraigned before magistrate Claire Stafrace this morning, accused of theft aggravated by value and violence, illegal arrest, carrying a firearm during the commission of a crime against the person, carrying a firearm in public without a licence, criminal damage and relapsing.

Attard is accused of robbing a store in Santa Venera at gunpoint on December 8th .

The man’s lawyer, Mario Spiteri, entered a not guilty plea. He explained that the man’s wife had been seriously ill for years and that the difficult circumstances had led him to where he was today.

But Inspector Lydon Zammit, leading the prosecution, together with Inspectors Fabian Fleri and Stacy Attard added that there were a number of civilian witnesses who were yet to testify and whose residential addresses were known to the accused.

The accused needed help to counter a drug problem, the court was told.

Remanding him in custody would be more damaging, submitted the defence.

The court, after hearing submissions on bail and observing the fact that he was already on police bail for other thefts, refused bail.