Lawyer recounts attack by two men at his office

A lawyer was at his office with clients when someone knocked at the door and, when he opened, two men barged in and beat him to the ground, a court heard yesterday.

Lawyer Tonio Azzopardi took the stand in the compilation of evidence against Philip Camilleri, 56, of St Paul's Bay and his 26-year-old son, also called Philip, of Marsa.

The two men are pleading not guilty to injuring Dr Azzopardi, holding him against his will and using violence to force him to do their bidding on July 3 at about 5.30 p.m.

Dr Azzopardi testified before Magistrate Lawrence Quintano, that he was in his office in Valletta with some clients when someone knocked at the door.

When he opened, he saw two men - a father and son - and the youngest of the two started beating him until he fell to the ground. The father then started beating him too.

Dr Azzopardi said the incident must have lasted between six and eight minutes during which time he received about 40 blows most of which were directed at his head.

He begged the men to stop and to leave him alone but they held him captive in his own office. As he started to feel his strength leave his body, the lawyer said, he recalled praying to Our Lady for help.

And that was when the father started trying to calm down his son. It took some time for the son to stop hitting him and, when the beating stopped, they said they wanted him to give them a cheque for Lm5,700.

As he wrote the check, the son stood on his desk with his hands on his hips in an imposing manner. Father and son threatened to shoot and kill him if the cheque bounced.

Dr Azzopardi explained that, contrary to what the two men had claimed, he had not taken any money in connection with a case in which they were involved. During their arraignment the Camilleris claimed the incident arose over a schedule of deposit of over Lm5,000. They claimed that Dr Azzopardi had represented the wife of Mr Camilleri (senior) as legal aide in a civil case that he won about six months ago.

At the end of the court case, the Camilleris were to withdraw the schedule of deposit they had deposited in court. They later learnt that it had been under Dr Azzopardi's control and so they went to his office to demand the money once it belonged to them.

They also said Dr Azzopardi asked them to leave and teased them with a cheque for Lm1,000 which he wrote but refused to hand over to them.

Dr Azzopardi denied teasing them with the cheque or taking any money that was theirs.

He testified that he had suffered multiple injuries including a perforated ear drum.

Some weeks before the incident, Dr Azzopardi said, the son had threatened him in court and he had called for police protection. But the police said they could not trace the son. Police Inspector Pierre Micallef Grimaud prosecuted.

Lawyer Roberto Montalto represented the Camilleris.

Lawyer Emmanuel Mallia represented Dr Azzopardi.