Officer testifies in Paceville stabbing case

A police officer told a court yesterday how a young woman saw her boyfriend being stabbed after he intervened to stop his friend from being beaten.

Police Inspector Chris Pullicino was testifying in the compilation of evidence against 59-year-old Grezzju Gauci, of Birkirkara, who is pleading not guilty to trying to fatally stab a man in Paceville on February 26.

He is also pleading not guilty to the possession of a weapon at the time of the commission of the crime and of relapsing.

Inspector Pullicino explained how after being informed that there had been a stabbing incident in Paceville the police spoke to the victim's girlfriend. She told officers how that evening she had gone out with her boyfriend and his friend. The friend left before them and, at about 5 a.m., she and her boyfriend decided to head to the Pender Place car park to go home. There the couple saw that the friend, who had left earlier, was being beaten up and the boyfriend intervened to help his friend.

That was when Mr Gauci turned up and told the victim not to interfere in the fight.

The woman went on to tell the police how Mr Gauci and her boyfriend ended up in a scuffle during which she saw Mr Gauci stab her boyfriend.

Lawyers Chris Cardona and Joseph Giglio were defence counsel.

Lawyer Chris Grima appeared in parte civile for the victim.