Parents testify for son

The parents of Keith Caruana, who last Friday was cleared of attempted murder but was found guilty of slightly injuring a man during a fight, yesterday took the witness stand during submissions on punishment.

Caruana was one of four men standing trial for involvement in a fight on March 11, 2001.

His parents, Ruth and Alex Caruana, yesterday told Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono how six years ago Caruana was involved in a traffic accident which had an effect on his mental capacity. They also exhibited medical certificates.

After a one-week trial jurors on Friday found Caruana, 26, not guilty of the attempted murder of Emanuel Farrugia but found him guilty of slightly injuring him with a pointed instrument.

Caruana was, unanimously, cleared of seriously injuring Alfred Cardona but found guilty of resisting arrest by seven votes to two.

Anthony Joseph Portelli, 30, was cleared of complicity in the attempted murder by seven votes to two. He was found not guilty, by six votes to three, of grievously injuring Cardona but was found guilty, by the same vote, of being involved in a fight in which Cardona suffered serious injuries, and slightly injuring Farrugia.

David Calleja, 39, was found not guilty of seriously injuring Cardona but guilty of slightly injuring him by a 6-3 vote. He was unanimously found not guilty of slightly injuring Farrugia and disobeying police but unanimously found guilty of relapsing.

Finally, Godwin Vella, 31, was cleared of all charges brought against him, when jurors found him not guilty of injuring Farrugia by seven votes to two.

Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono will hand down judgment this morning.