Man denies robbing, threatening his 77-year-old mother

A 53 year-old unemployed man from Msida has been remanded in custody after he was charged with stealing from and threatening his mother, with whom he lives.

Stephen Zammit appeared in the dock before magistrate Rachel Montebello accused of theft, aggravated by place, person and value. He was also accused of fraud and falsification, harassing the woman and breaching a suspended sentence.  Zammit was additionally accused of being a recidivist. The stolen items: a ring, a TV and other objects, exceeded €2,300 in value, the court was told.

Prosecuting Inspector Colin Sheldon said that the man’s mother had made several reports to the police about her son.

Sheldon explained that on Saturday he had allegedly slapped his 77 year-old mother. He claims to have been trying to stop a door from slamming. From his answers to their questions, Appogg social workers calculated the man was a medium risk but said that he should be treated as a high risk from their professional experience.

He was later arrested and taken for questioning.

In court this morning, lawyer Vincienne Vella, defence counsel to the man, entered a plea of not guilty. She did not request bail at this stage, however, as the man lived with the alleged victim. He is due to start a drug rehabilitation course next week.

The court, noting that the man would be held under arrest at Corradino Correctional Facility and that the defence had said that the man had a drug dependency problem, recommended the director of prisons provide him with the necessary assistance in this regard.