Denies trying to kill journalist
A man yesterday denied stabbing wine bar owner and journalist David Darmanin in the early hours of Tuesday morning in an argument involving the victim's girlfriend.
James Aquilina, 35, of Attard, pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of the 29-year-old acting editor of the Business Today in his wine and tapas bar, Ciao Frà.
Mr Darmanin was found by police lying unconscious in a pool of blood just outside the bar after he was allegedly stabbed three times inside his outlet in High Street, Sliema. Mr Aquilina used to date Mr Darmanin's girlfriend and was questioned about the stabbing the same day in the afternoon.
Police sources said there were a number of witnesses who had seen Mr Aquilina enter the bar and start an argument with Mr Darmanin which led the two men to start fighting. The witnesses then called for the police and waited with Mr Darmanin while the ambulance was on its way.
Police Inspectors Chris Pullicino and Jesmond Micallef requested that bail be denied due to the seriousness of the allegations.
Defence lawyer Gianella Caruana Curran asked for her client to be examined by a doctor as he had visible injuries to his left arm and on his neck.
She also said that she was not asking for bail as the defence counsel were informed that there were a number of civilian witnesses that still had to testify. She requested that they be brought to court as soon as possible.
Magistrate Audrey Demicoli remanded the accused in custody.
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Franco Farrugia
Oct 15th 2009, 15:16
@ J Oatman - Well, thank goodness you have nothing to do with out legal system, if that is indeed what you think. Honest to God, giving someone the minimum of the sentence for an atrocious act! And you call that justice?
Paul Barrett
Oct 15th 2009, 12:46
@ J Oatmon
I see your reasoning and in some cases it does make sense - indeed Judges and Magistrates have been known to comment that they have "taken an early guilty plea" into account when passing sentence. However there are often two sides to every story and what may initially appear to be straight forward becomes very complicated. Some may see certain aspects of the law as "loopholes" as indeed many of them are but they do have a very important purpose.
There are very many circumstances where an action taken by an individual where, by itself, an individual would be guilty of the offence. Fortunately there are also circumstances where the same action is excusable and that is why so many plead not guilty.
J Oatmon
Oct 15th 2009, 11:17
The thing is with Maltese law (and UK law etc), there is no advantage to be gained by admitting one's guilt. In fact in Malta you are a fool to admit guilt, as your trial is then abreviated and all the evidence is not heard, and you just get sentenced.
So in many countries the law ensures that 'honesty does not pay' and lying is the best course of action!
It should a system whereby - anyone admitting guilt, gets the minimum sentence automatically - then perhaps we would get more honesty, and less timewasting and expense.