A Siggiewi man, standing trial for attempted murder, told police he shot his wife outside a Qormi supermarket because she had ignored him earlier on that day and refused to speak to him despite his attempts, a police inspector yesterday told jurors.

Inspector Michael Mallia told jurors that in a statement released to the police Anthony Falzon said he became very upset when his wife Lourdes ignored his calls when she drove past him in Marsascala earlier that morning.

"He said he went to his Siggiewi residence, got a weapon, went to look for her and found her at Shopwise Supermarket. He got even more upset when she refused to speak to him and so he fetched his gun and eventually fired at her."

Inspector Mallia testified before Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono in the trial by jury of Falzon, 47, who is pleading not guilty to the attempted murder of his wife on April 5, 2002, at about noon.

The bill of indictment that was read out to the nine jurors and the four supplementary jurors, all men, claims that on April 5, 2002, Falzon had an argument with his wife Lourdes because she had ignored him.

He shot at her several times, with the intent to kill her, and injured her in her neck. But thanks to medical intervention Lourdes Falzon survived the shots.

Inspector Mallia explained that after being informed that there had been a shooting incident outside Shopwise Supermarket in Mdina Road, Qormi he went on the scene and saw a woman lying on the floor, bleeding.

Although she was conscious, it looked like she was in pain. She told the inspector that her husband had shot her.

Inspector Mallia explained that soon after the ambulance arrived and she was taken to hospital. There a doctor told him that a bullet was embedded in her neck and she had bullet wounds on her left shoulder and in her left knee.

"In hospital Mrs Falzon repeated that her husband, whom she referred to as Ninu, had shot her. She told me the incident was long in coming and mentioned that there were ongoing separation proceedings and that he had threatened her and beaten her before," the inspector said.

Later on that day, the inspector explained, he was informed that Falzon had turned himself in at the Siggiewi police station. Falzon was taken to Inspector Mallia's office at the police headquarters where he was cautioned and released a four-page statement.

In the statement Falzon explained that on the morning of the incident he got very upset when his wife ignored his calls in Marsascala. He went to get a gun from his residence and then went to look for his wife.

He found her at the supermarket but, again, she refused to speak to him. She walked outside without speaking to him and that upset him. When he realised she was returning inside, he went to fetch the gun from his car and shot in her direction, the inspector testified.

She ran and he ran after her as he shot at her. She fell to the ground in the road and Falzon tried to help her up but she got away.

Inspector Mallia explained that although in the statement Falzon said he wanted to kill his wife, when he testified during the on-site inquiry he said he wanted to injure her but did not intend to kill her.

When cross-examined by Dr Giannella Caruana Curran, who is representing Falzon with Dr Emanuel Mallia, Inspector Mallia said that while releasing the statement Falzon broke into tears.

The trial continues.

Assistant Attorney General Anthony Barbara is prosecuting.