A watchman waited in a car until Sunday Mass finished and then shot his estranged wife's partner, pausing to tell the woman it was her fault and then shooting the victim again before leaving the place, stopping at Rabat to pray, the Magistrate's Court heard yesterday.

Police Inspector Chris Pullicino gave a detailed account of the police statement released by Martino Gatt in which he admitted to shooting Louis Ellul - his estranged wife's partner - because he believed Mr Ellul was not allowing him to see his children.

Mr Gatt, 59, is pleading not guilty to the murder of Mr Ellul by shooting him in Pembroke on December 2 at about 11.30 a.m.

He is also charged with slightly injuring a 14-year-old girl who was hit by pellets, with the illegal possession of a firearm and with firing the weapon in a public area.

Testifying before Magistrate Saviour Demicoli, Mr Pullicino explained that on December 2 at about 11.35 a.m. he was informed that someone had been injured during a shooting incident in Pembroke. When he went on site with his colleague, Inspector Silvio Valletta, they learnt that the victim had been certified dead.

The incident happened on a hill leading from Pembroke church to a playground. The victim was lying on the ground close to his car. There was a pool of blood underneath the victim and blood around him. In a nearby patch of grass, there were three spent cartridges and a sizable piece of cloth lay close to the victim.

Investigations indicated that, after the 10.45 a.m. Mass, a man in his 50s - with grey hair and wearing a baseball cap and glasses - was spotted shooting a male in the company of a woman and children. Eyewitnesses also gave the police the car registration number the shooter was using.

The woman was 30-year-old Joanne Bajada who was under shock at the time. After consulting a doctor, the police spoke to her and asked her whether she knew what happened and who had fired the shot.

She explained that she was separated and that it was her estranged husband who had shot her partner. She also gave the police his mobile phone number.

After obtaining court authorisation, the police contacted the mobile phone service provider to locate the suspect. They were directed towards Siggiewi where, at about 2.50 p.m., they found the car belonging to the accused parked. It was locked with no one inside. On the back seat was the pouch of a shotgun.

At about 3.10 p.m., mobile squad officers located a man in Siggiewi who fitted the description of the suspect as given by eyewitnesses. The man refused to give his particulars to the police but he was eventually identified as Mr Gatt. He was cautioned and the first thing he told the police was: "What did you expect me to do? He ruined my family", the inspector said in court.

Mr Gatt was taken to police headquarters where he was questioned and he released a statement admitting he had shot Mr Ellul.

He explained that he and Ms Bajada had separated three years ago. They had two children but he believed she had been unfaithful while they were still together.

On the morning of the shooting he did not feel he had to go to Sunday Mass as he usually did and several thoughts went through his mind. One of them was that Mr Ellul was not allowing him to see his children. He, therefore, got hold of his shotgun and placed it in the hired car he was driving. He drove around various localities and when he arrived at Bahar Ic-Caghaq he stopped to load the gun, he said in his statement to the police.

He then headed for Pembroke and went near the residence where his estranged wife and his children lived with Mr Ellul. When he saw that no one was home he drove to the church as he wanted to see the children.

While waiting for Mass to finish he went to buy water and biscuits and then returned to the car. When Mass was over he spotted his estranged wife and children leaving the church with Mr Ellul.

It was at that moment that he grabbed the shotgun, covered it with a large cloth and walked towards Mr Ellul. He told him something to attract his attention and when Mr Ellul noticed that he had a gun he tried to run to the car.

Then, in the presence of his estranged wife and children, Mr Gatt shot Mr Ellul, he told the police.

Mr Gatt then turned to his estranged wife and told her: "You brought all this about. Take care of the children". He then shot Mr Ellul again but did not remember how many times.

He went back to the car, placed the gun in a safe position and drove away. He said he went to Girgenti, stopped in Rabat to pray for his estranged wife, the children and Mr Ellul and then went to Siggiewi to have a beer before he was arrested by the police.

At the end of the sitting, Magistrate Demicoli ruled there were sufficient reasons for Mr Gatt to be indicted.

Police Inspectors Pullicino and Valletta prosecuted.

Lawyer Mark Busuttil was defence counsel.

Lawyer Giannella Caruana Curran appeared for the victim's family.