Police officer testifies on threats report

A police sergeant yesterday told the court a woman reported she had been threatened by a man facing murder charges and in whose case she was a prime witness.

"The (Maltese) woman of Tunisian origin, came to sign at the Msida police station, as she usually does. She asked me to use the telephone to call an inspector but before she dialled she told me she was being threatened by a certain Jason (Louis Paul) Decelis in whose case she had to testify," Police Sergeant Robert Everest said.

"She also told me she had seen Jason make a movement as though he was reaching for something in his back pocket. I told her to speak to Inspector (Neil) Harrison directly since he was prosecuting in the case she mentioned."

PS Everest was called to testify before Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera in the case of Jason Decelis, 24, of Pietà, and his parents Carmel, 52, of Pietà, and Connie, 52, of St Paul`s Bay. They are pleading not guilty to Rachel Bowdler`s murder, on omission and disposing of the body on May 13, 2001 and the night before.

After the woman of Tunisian origin reported to the police that Jason Decelis had threatened to shoot her if she did not testify in his favour the prosecution claimed that Jason Decelis had breached his bail conditions.

The woman, whose name cannot be published by court order, had told the Magistrates` Court she had seen the three Decelis family members carry Bowdler`s unconscious body down the stairs, out of an apartment block and into a car.

Bowdler`s lifeless body was found in a field in Mgarr on May 13, 2001. Pathologists had attributed the cause of her death to a drug overdose. Experts agreed that the girl, 18, had not died instantly because there was evidence of a drug metabolism process which must have taken time.

Dr George Grech testified that on May 16, 2002, he was working at St Luke`s Hospital`s detox centre when, walking out of his office, he noticed a commotion close to the bus terminus.

He saw Jason Decelis, who was with a certain Naser, and the woman of Tunisian origin. She was shouting: "Leave me in peace". The doctor intervened and sent Decelis to his office. He sent the woman away and called the police.

Frankie Grech was called to the witness stand again after spending three days in the Valletta lock-up for being what the magistrate termed as a "hostile witness". He had been called to testify on Tuesday but was not answering the questions to the satisfaction of the prosecution.

He said he had met the woman at the hospital`s detox waiting room where he was together with Jason to be seen by a doctor. Grech yesterday insisted he did not hear Jason Decelis threaten the woman and denied telling the police he had.

The case continues.

Police Inspector Neil Harrison is prosecuting.

Dr Leo Bencini is appearing for the Decelis family.

Dr Ian Farrugia and Dr Michael Sciriha are appearing in parte civile for the victim`s family.