Bail confirmed for car damaging trio

A court has refused to revoke the bail given to a man and a woman who pleaded not guilty last week to damaging a woman’s car at Zabbar.

Natasha Bugeja, 20 and Ismael Magro, 19, both from Vittoriosa, had been arraigned on Wednesday together with Tyson Bugeja, 23. The trio pleaded not guilty to targeting Tyson’s ex-girlfriend in the alleged attack.

On 28 January, Tyson Bugeja’s ex girlfriend reported to the police that she was receiving threatening phone calls from him. The police went to her home in an effort to catch the man but were unsuccessful.

Later that day, another report was received stating that he was intentionally damaging her car.

Police said that CCTV footage of the incident showed Tyson Bugeja smashing the vehicle’s rear windscreen, while Natasha Bugeja was seen pouring a green liquid from a jerrycan onto the car. Ismael Magro accompanied them

Tyson and Natasha Bugeja were jointly charged with causing voluntary damage to third party property and breach of bail, with the former also being separately charged with misuse of electronic communications equipment, threats against the alleged victim and causing her to fear violence.

Magro was charged as an accomplice and driving without a valid licence and insurance cover.

Tyson Bugeja was remanded in custody, with the other co-accused being released on bail.

However, following the arraignment, the Attorney General filed a request before the Criminal Court asking for the revocation of bail, principally because the alleged victim had not yet testified, giving rise to a risk of tampering with evidence.

The man’s lawyers argued that the prosecution had not objected to bail during the arraignment and, moreover, adequate bail conditions had been imposed to prevent any attempt at tampering with the evidence.

The Criminal Court, presided over by Madam Justice Edwina Grima, declared that there was no reason for varying the discretion exercised by the Magistrate’s Court which had assessed all the circumstances of the case and more so since the prosecution had raised no concern regarding such risk of tampering.

In her decree, Madam Justice Grima also observed that adequate bail conditions had been imposed, in addition to a Protection Order in favour of the alleged victim.

Moreover, so far, both Natasha Bugeja and Ismael Magro appeared to have abided by their bail conditions, the Court observed.

In addition, the Court also noted that the AG’s application lacked certain legal formalities that were essential for its validity, as the AG’s signature was absent and the act of the arraignment had not been stamped.

Having seen all this, the court rejected the AG’s request, decreeing that bail was to stand.

Lawyers Franco Debono, Amadeus Cachia and Arthur Azzopardi were defence counsel to Bugeja. Azzopardi also assisted Magro.