Woman recounts `miraculous` escape from husband`s bullets

A woman yesterday recounted in court how she "miraculously" managed to run away from her husband who was shooting at her near a supermarket in Qormi.

Lourdes Falzon was testifying in the compilation of evidence against her husband, Anthony, who stands charged with his wife`s attempted murder on April 5. He is also charged with seriously injuring her, keeping and carrying a firearm and ammunition without a licence and endangering people`s lives by shooting in public.

The court, presided by Magistrate Noel Cuschieri, yesterday decided there appeared enough grounds for Falzon to be indicted.

The woman said she had been married to Anthony for 23 years but there were problems soon after they got married and when she got pregnant her husband used to suspect the child was not his.

She said her husband often beat her up and threatened to disfigure her face with a fork or a knife so that no one would look at her. But she chose to live in misery to save her marriage and because of her children.

On August 25 last year she decided to leave home as she had had enough. Whenever there were any incidents since she reported them to the police.

She said that on April 5, this year, she was working at Shopwise in Qormi, where she was doing some promotion work for Farsons. At about 10 a.m. she was going to the warehouse to get some more free gifts she was distributing with Farsons products and she stopped to speak to Roslynn, a Shopwise employee, when she suddenly saw her husband (the accused) behind her.

"I was petrified as there were always problems each time we met and I went to hide. I did not come out of hiding until I was sure he was no longer in the supermarket. I then bought some bread and milk and left.

"But as I was going towards my car I saw him again and I returned to the supermarket and went to the manager`s office to ask him to call the police but the office was closed. So I decided to leave and told Roslynn that there was going to be a problem again as my husband was outside.

"He caught up with me as I was walking to my car and he calmly asked me why I was instigating the children against him. I denied doing anything of the sort and told him not to come near me. He then lifted his hand and pointed a revolver at me and told me he was going to get at me with it," Falzon said.

She said she ran to her car and tried to open the door and he went by her side.

"I do not know what happened to the bag containing bread and milk I was carrying. I may have tried to hit him with it or I dropped it with fear. I tried to take the key out of the door but the key chain broke and I started running and screaming for help.

"Then I heard shots and I saw a truck and went around it, screaming, crying for help and knocking against the truck in the hope someone would help me. I fell and landed on my back and I saw Anthony pointing the gun at me and shooting. I was kicking in the air, to make it difficult for him to aim at me but he continued shooting and with some sort of miracle I got back to my feet and started running again.

"Then I felt my head shudder and moments later there was a big pain in my neck. I arrived near Shopwise and people told me I had blood running down my neck. I felt a great pain in my left arm and below my knee, passed out and ended up in hospital," she said.

Falzon said she spent five days in hospital after having been hit by three bullets.

At the end of yesterday`s session, the defence asked for bail and the court said it would give a decree today.

Police Inspectors Michael Mallia and Raymond D`Anastas prosecuted.

Dr Albert Libreri is appearing for Falzon and Dr Joseph Giglio is appearing in parte civile for the victim.