14-year-old boy charged with two stabbings in a week, claims self-defence

A 14-year-old boy, a student from Msida, was charged on Saturday with two stabbing incidents, one in Sliema and another in Pieta, within the span of a single week.

The boy, whose name is being kept under wraps by the court on account of his age, is claiming self-defence in both incidents and has entered a not guilty plea before the courts.

He had been arrested on 27 June after the police found a 21-year-old English man, who lives in Mosta, on Locker Street, Sliema bleeding profusely. He had apparently been stabbed with a kitchen knife.

Both the man and boy required hospital treatment, with the police having said the boy’s injuries were compatible with having received a beating.

On Saturday morning, the court also heard about a second incident this time involving a 24-year-old man a Pietà residence.

According to the prosecution, the 14-year-old had reported the incident to the police himself and the 24-year-old had given a contrasting version of events.

While prosecutors objected to the request for bail, since the charges were serious and occurred within a few days of each other, Magistrate Monica Vella upheld the bail request under various conditions, including a €500 deposit 500, a €3,500 personal guarantee 3500 and a warning not to approach the alleged victims who are still to testify. 

Inspectors Roderick Attard and Jessica Bezzina prosecuted.