A 10-year-old girl yesterday told jurors she thought she would have died if her father had not pulled her out of the way of a speeding car.

Esmeralda Falzon explained that she was walking towards her grandmother's house with her father, Desmond, when she heard someone shout an insult at her father.

"I saw Marco (Mark Lawrence Rizzo) in a red car. I heard the noise of an engine and of screeching tyres. Marco then sped towards us, my dad pulled me and the car brushed past me, from behind, and drove off at a speed... If my dad had not pulled me I'd be dead," she said.

The girl testified from the bench beside Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono who is presiding the trial by jury of Rizzo, 33, of Paola, who is pleading not guilty to the attempted murder of Desmond Falzon in Paola on July 2, 2002.

Esmeralda Falzon yesterday explained she went to the lotto booth situated in Paola square with her father and when they walked away from the booth they saw Rizzo.

Her father approached Rizzo and asked him if he was going to give him some money but Rizzo insulted him.

"My dad kicked him in the leg and Rizzo ran up the road but my dad remained next to me. I started crying because I was worried and my dad took me to a kiosk across the road to buy a ftira, then we started walking towards Nanna Lina's house."

The girl went on to explain that when they reached the crossroads Rizzo drove "gas down" in their direction, her father pulled her out of the way and Rizzo drove off.

The bill of indictment, which was read out to jurors yesterday morning, claims that Rizzo owed Falzon money but was reluctant to pay him back. When Falzon insisted on being paid, Rizzo threatened he would plant a bomb in his car and endanger his family's life.

On July 2, 2002, Falzon met Rizzo and reminded him about his debt and, again, Rizzo threatened him.

The bill goes on to explain how later that day Rizzo waited for Falzon in St Ubaldesca Street in Paola with the intention of getting rid of him once and for all.

When Rizzo sighted Falzon, who was with his daughter, he drove his red Ford Ka in their direction at a high speed.

Falzon managed to pull his daughter out of the way and avoid being hit by the car.

When Falzon saw that Rizzo was behind the wheel he ran towards him but Rizzo drove off. Falzon filed a police report and Rizzo was arrested later on that day.

Falzon took the witness stand and said he had been receiving threatening phone calls and messages from Rizzo. On the day of the incident he met Rizzo near the lotto booth and asked him to pay him.

But Rizzo offended him and Falzon kicked him.

Later on, as Falzon was walking towards his mother's house with his daughter, he saw a car in the middle of the road and Rizzo, who was in the car, shouted an insult at him.

Falzon said that Rizzo drove towards them, he pulled his daughter out of the way, Rizzo sped off and he hurled his keys at Rizzo's car.

Falzon went to check on his daughter before he went to file a police report.

Under cross-examination he denied rushing to file a police report before Rizzo managed to file one before him.

Inspector David Saliba said that on July 2, 2002, he was duty officer at the Criminal Investigation Department. Rizzo went to the department and told the inspector he had just had an argument with Falzon over business.

"Rizzo told me that Falzon was insisting that he owed him money over business that involved cigarettes, but he did not owe him anything.

"He said that he intended to run over Falzon but had not because he was with a minor at the time," the inspector said.

At the end of yesterday's sitting the prosecution declared it had no more evidence.

An on-site inquiry will be held this morning in the crossroads between St Ubaldesca Street and Ninu Cremona Street.

Seniour counsel to the republic Mark Said is prosecuting.

Dr Anglu Farrugia is appearing for Rizzo, while Dr Martin Testaferrata Moroni Viani is appearing in parte civile.