Man charged with murder has bail revoked

A man charged with fatally stabbing his former partner yesterday had his bail revoked after a court heard how a urine sample tested positive for heroin.

David Norbert Schembri, 29, is pleading not guilty to the murder of 32-year-old Josette Scicluna, the mother of his daughter, when he allegedly stabbed her some 49 times in her San Gwann apartment on May 3, 2004.

On November 2 this year Mr Schembri was granted bail on condition he does not leave his home without permission from the court and that he cooperates with a probation officer with the aim of helping him overcome his drug addiction.

But on December 21, Senior Probation Officer Mariella Camilleri informed the court, through an application, that Mr Schembri had not turned up to produce a scheduled urine sample the previous day.

During a court hearing on Thursday, Chief Justice Vincent De Gaetano ordered that Mr Schembri be escorted to Mount Carmel Hospital for a urine sample to be taken.

Following the test results, the Attorney General yesterday filed another application calling on the court to revoke Mr Schembri's bail as he had breached bail conditions by taking drugs.

During yesterday's sitting, Mr Justice De Gaetano heard psychiatrist Joseph Spiteri explain how the urine tests showed that heroin had been consumed between 12 and 15 hours from the taking of the sample. He also said that the medication that Mr Schembri was taking did not produce "false positive results" in the urine test.

The judge also heard Mr Schembri insist he had not taken any drugs and that, to him, the results of the test were bewildering.

After hearing submissions the judge noted that it seemed like Mr Schembri still abused drugs and that he was not trustworthy.

He revoked his bail and ordered that he be detained at the prison ward at Mount Carmel Residence.

Senior Counsel to the Republic Mark Said represented the Attorney General's Office.