Clive Farrugia, a 24-year-old man from Vittoriosa, was this evening accused in court of having fatally stabbed 61-year-old Marie Therese Vella in her home in Cospicua on May 8.

He was also accused of the attempted murder and serious injury of the victim's daughter Mary Grace, slightly injuring her son Joseph Vella, illegal possession of a knife in the two days prior to the incident and of having molested Mary Grace. He pleaded not guilty.

The accused himself had been seriously injured in the incident, at Triq San Lazzru.

The court, presided by Magistrate Miriam Hayman, denied him bail and remanded him in custody at the forensics section at Mt Carmel Hospital after considering that he had been in the Intensive Therapy Unit of Mater Dei Hospital just two days ago.