Man charged with kidnapping his son

A Zabbar man was yesterday charged with kidnapping his nine-year-old son from a Sliema school - an act which his defence counsel described as one driven by a father's emotions towards his son.

In an arraignment yesterday evening, Jimmy Grech, 49, was also charged with talking his son into leaving St Patrick's School, where he was placed following a care order, and helping his son escape from the school.

Grech was also charged with threatening, assaulting and slightly injuring PC Simon Grech and PC Robert Vassallo and trying to seriously injure them when he drove a car in their direction on Sunday.

He was also charged with filing a false police report, driving dangerously, speeding, uttering obscene words when drunk, failing to look after himself while under the influence of alcohol, disobeying police and breaching the conditions of a previous release. He pleaded guilty to all charges.

Dr Pawlu Lia, for Grech, made a request for bail as, he explained, his client was not a criminal but had gone to visit his son at the school.

When he realised that the boy was unhappy where he was Grech felt sorry for him and took him home with him and his three siblings who were in his custody.

The prosecuting officers explained that Grech had cooperated with police. Following a police report filed by a social worker who worked at the school, Grech was called in for questioning.

He cooperated with police and willingly took the boy to the police station.

Magistrate Lawrence Quintano granted Grech bail on the condition that he does not approach St Patrick's School and bound him by a personal guarantee of Lm2,000.

Inspectors Anthony Cassar, Claudine Vella and Raymond Aquilina prosecuted.