Chilling account of hammer attack

An elderly man yesterday gave a chilling account of how his nephew repeatedly hit him on the head, leaving him on the floor while walking about telling himself: "Why did you do that? Why did you do that?"

The man, who is not being named to protect his family's identity, said that as he lay on the floor, reeling from the unprovoked attack and bleeding so profusely he could not see, he heard his nephew walking about the room talking to himself.

The man's 46-year-old nephew from Sliema is charged with the attack, which happened two weeks ago in the victim's home as he was about to have his usual afternoon nap.

Police Inspector Jesmond Micallef said the accused admitted to hitting his uncle with a hammer. He also told officers that, when the hammer broke, he continued hitting his uncle with his fist.

In his police statement which was read out in court, the accused said that during the attack he could not see anything and only stopped after he came to his senses and realised what he had done.

Questioned by defence lawyer José Herrera, the uncle of the accused said he had felt his nephew hitting him with his fist and not with anything substantially harder.

As he was lying on the floor, he told his nephew to call his father and an ambulance, which he did, the uncle said, adding that he had since forgiven his nephew for the attack.

The prosecuting officer said that when he had questioned the accused, the latter was very agitated, crying and holding his face in his hands. The accused had also told the office he wanted to commit suicide.

The man is being kept at Mount Carmel Hospital pending the proceedings.

Lawyer Veronique Dalli appeared for the accused together with Dr Herrera.

The case continues.