Update 2: Bomb scares stop court sittings for three hours

A bomb scare at the law courts stopped activity in practically all the halls for three hours today.

Most of the court staff were evacuated at 10.30 a.m. after two phone calls warning of a bomb in the law courts building were received, informed sources said.

People on the scene said that while such bomb scares were not unusual, it was not normal for sittings to be interrupted for so long

A trial by jury presided by Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono over the alleged attempted murder of a hunter by another hunter continued as usual and later stopped as scheduled for a break at 1 p.m. Two magistrates also continued their sittings.

Army bomb disposal experts searched the building and gave the all-clear at 1.40 p.m.