Jail term cut by three years for Wild West-style attack

The Court of Criminal Appeal yesterday reduced by three years a jail term given to a man found guilty of attempted murder in what the court described as something that resembled a scene from a Wild West film.

In August 2004, the Criminal Court found Paul Hili guilty of attempting to murder Victor Testa by hitting him repeatedly on the head with a wooden plank on February 27, 2003, in Sliema. Mr Testa was in critical condition after suffering extensive head injuries. Mr Hili was jailed for 15 years.

The Appeals Court, presided over by Chief Justice Vincent De Gaetano, Mr Justice David Scicluna and Mr Justice Joseph Micallef, heard that on the day in question Mr Hili had driven the wrong way up a one-way street and encountered Mr Testa driving from the opposite direction. After Mr Testa refused to reverse, Mr Hili aggressively alighted from his vehicle. Mr Testa then tried to go into his aunt's house but on finding the door locked he got hold of a pot plant in order to try and scare Mr Hili away.

Grabbing a piece of wood he came across, Mr Hili repeatedly hit Mr Testa on the head. As a result of the injuries he sustained, the victim had to undergo two major surgeries.

Lawyer Ian Farrugia, appearing for Mr Hili, argued that his client had acted in self-defence and had no intention of trying to kill Mr Testa.

The court took into consideration the seriousness of the case, the fact that Mr Hili had paid Mr Testa compensation and also the fact that the victim had forgiven his aggressor. The court thus reduced the jail term from 15 years to 12 years.