Russian boy accused of double attempted murder
A 16-year-old Russian student who came to Malta to study English was today charged in court with the attempted murder of two Maltese teenagers when he allegedly stabbed them during an argument in Bugibba early yesterday morning.
The boy pleaded not guilty.
One of the Maltese was stabbed in the groin with a pen knife and the other was stabbed twice in his chest.
The Russian boy also pleaded not guilty to possession of a pen knife without a licence, breaching the peace and 'running in the road in a way which posed a danger'.
The boy was remanded in custody.
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48 Comments
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I. Marennikova
Jul 27th 2010, 15:53
is there any news on this yet?
Melanie Gauci
Jul 27th 2010, 20:14
Yes there is but its non of your business
Greg House
Jul 30th 2010, 00:04
Why is that none of her business? Ms Gauci, rudeness among women does not bring credit to the ladies' institution. Is your reply a local deflection to the surname of this Marennikova? No worries, the more guys from Africa you'll get, the less Russians there will be in Malta. Good luck.
Melanie Gauci
Jul 30th 2010, 18:11
if you read the comments left before you will see why i said that its none of her business, First she says that me and my friends are not saying the truth then she comes asking if there is any news. so yes, its not anyone's business whether there's any news or not
Greg House
Jul 26th 2010, 22:17
Yes, it is tough when there are so many foreigners around... But better to have Russians and other white kids running around and demand a control from the hosting agencies as well as become strict on selling kids drinks and cigarettes (like in Germany - all the machines are equipped with the ID cards, so no kid can buy nothing that is not legal for his age) or simply become cranky about foreign students in general. Firstly, why both Maltese and Russian kids were outside at 4 in the morning? Secondly, type in youtube the words: exterminate white people and then you would stop being anxious about Russian kids and start thinking of the nearest future for all of us...
P,Kempy
Jul 15th 2010, 19:12
have some of you banged your heads.......... no matter were you are in the world you need to respect the law and culture, so if he did wrong .... that he did he should be locked up, galea@ let him go may be there are worse crimes or he does not speak english ???? that is crazy i dont speak spanish but i dont go there stabbing people .... sort it out thats just crazy talk
A.Camilleri
Jul 15th 2010, 15:43
Only hearing one side of this story, and how do we know the pen knife actually belonged to the russian boy??
Michael agius
Jul 15th 2010, 12:17
@ H. Galea
imagine your son got stabbed instead of kurt would u still wish he would be free ?!!
if so either your are crazy or you dont respect your children. and this goes to every one - stop trying to act like you were there!!
B Sciberras
Jul 15th 2010, 11:40
We were all young once, and know how easy it is to let go of good standards when away from our parents. However I'm in bugibba at the moment and for the last two week the residence of tourist st have put up with distubance, eggs thrown at them from 4 and 5th floor balaconies, water bombs and bottle and lit paper. cars and home damaged by these students because they think it's a bit of fun. Temper will fray and a resident will react.. God forbidden. However since the stabbing of the Maltese youths we have had a quiet and peaceful 2 days. Lets hope it continues as long as they behaviour in a civil manner then they are most welcome. But if the are deemed old enough to be away without parental control, then they are old enough to suffer the consequences of their actions.
t. borg
Jul 15th 2010, 10:03
il-ligi maltija tghid li sa 18 il-sena wiehed ghadu minuri. ghaldaqstant dan ghandu jigi konsidrat bhala minuri. rigward dak li qal li jara tfal jinqalbu nghid li llum tfal ta' 14 ikunu diga' qalbu d-dinja. miskin min ikun vitma taghhom. wasal iz-zmien li l-eta' tonqos ghal 16 bhal pajjizi ohra. naqbel zgur li dan jitkecca. wiehed irid jara l-kaz kollu biex jiddeciedi. wiehed ukoll irid jikkonsidra li dawn it-tfal huma ta' introjtu ghall-ekonomija fejn jikbru u jibqghu jigu vakanzi bil-familja malta. nispera li dan it-tifel jiehu taghlima.
Gary smith
Jul 15th 2010, 09:29
i can guarantee the maltese teenages incited this attack, now why this kid was carrying a pen knife is anyones guess, ive seen many maltese teenages set about others who the deem to be foreign and easy prey as they are not on there turf, and i myself have been taunted with slurs and attacks towards my friends, alot of maltese teenages think there big men by going after and provoking small amounts of students when they themselves are in large groups, yes they may seem cool and big, picking on blone blue eyed students here to learn english, but you can only tease a dog for so long till it bites back, which this kid obviously did , i can gurantee this 15/16 yo(diffent articles states diffent ages) did not set on these kids but was provoked and reacted, now i wasnt there to verify this but im a realist and being 18 ive seen alot of this over here, now from being picked upon, too reacting this kid is going to see the next chapter of his life behind bars abroad. and the kids who provoked him are going to be nice and comfy back on the streets.
Kim Falzon
Jul 15th 2010, 13:59
If some maltese act like that doesn't mean they all do!!!!!!! How could have the maltese youths done something to the russian when the russian were in a balcony! So all this stupid nonsense you people are saying!!!! You were not there and don't even know the story! You all keep saying the same things. these students even get into fights with each other let alone people that are from another country just admit it! These students are in Malta causing trouble! I am not saying all of them do!
Olina Tretyak
Jul 15th 2010, 19:17
Kim, the girl, Melanie just said that there were more Russians and 5 Maltese.
What if Maltese attacked Russian kids on the ground and the boy saw it from the balcony and ran down to help other kids? What if pen knife was not even his?
Melanie Gauci
Jul 19th 2010, 15:04
I. Marennikova & Olina Tretyak
Tell u the story and what happened?? You're joking right?? ass if im going to tell the story to people like you!! you want to keep on sticking up for the russian boy? do all you want, the law isnt in your hands so i couldn't careless what you think. i think you should keep your nose out of other peoples business . All you want to do is invent a story and say that what happened. i was there and no i am not going to tell you what happened cos its NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!!!!!!!!!
Melanie Gauci
Jul 15th 2010, 08:59
@ I. Marennikova and H. Galea,
No offence but i think both of you are out your mind or something. u want him out?? I was there when the fight happened wid kurt (the one who commented before) and the others. if your dont know what happened pleaseee dont even bother commenting, keep the nonsense to yourself.
I. Marennikova
''would one attack or start fighting without a reason with another two or more people?'' i said it before and ill say it again, your were not there so stop trying to make it as if you know what happened. First thing we were 2 girls and 3 boys and the Russians werent just one as you are saying they were about 6, so stop sticking up for them if u dont know the story. im sure you would say the same thing that u want him out if he stabbed your son !
ohh and ill say it again, KEEP THE NONSENSE TO YOURSELF!
I. Marennikova
Jul 15th 2010, 16:33
dear Melanie
you are the one who's saying that the Russian boy wasn't alone, all official and non-official sources tell the opposite my dear, so let's don't shout out loud about a nonsense here. this is first of all. Secondly, one of the 'victims' had just commented below which means that he is doing at least better (i am, really, glad for him and wishing the other boy soonest recovering as well). the accused is still staying under custody and who knows for how long will he be staying there. carrying a pen knife is not a crime and should not be considered as such because it is a PEN knife, not a carving or hunting knife which indeed requires a license etc.
and speaking of 'imagine if your son/daughter/etc' was stabbed - why wouldn't you imagine it was your son who was behaving badly and who actually caused this incident?.. i don't want to imagine anything like that for my son/ daughter/ etc and don't you ask me to do so please, but if that would happen - i would not be blaming all around me without knowing what actually has happened there at 4-5am.
Olina Tretyak
Jul 15th 2010, 18:11
Melanie,
please explain here all what you saw on that tragic night. We all want to know that.
I. Marennikova, let Melanie tell us her version of event, regardless does it match with what media tells us or not.
Kurt Falzon, we will be glad to hear your story too. So there were 6 Russians on the balcony? Or you attacked other Russian kids on the ground and the one from the balcony ran down with a pen knife to help out his friends, that's why he ran "in the way that posed a danger"?
Tell us, we are quietely reading...
c.micallef
Jul 15th 2010, 00:45
I live in Iklin: not what you might call a tourist village like Sliema or Bugibba... yet it's unbelievable the number of students we have here, hosted by families. It's the same for other places. At one point I was wondering whether I was living in Malta or Scandinavia!
pat camilleri
Jul 14th 2010, 18:04
I have just come up from the rocks near surfside.Young couples who, could not be more than 16 years old, lying on top of each other kissing each other with great abandon ,while people walked by.Quite obscene really. I phoned up the wardens who told me I must phone up the police. These are the so called students who come here. Bottles of beer and wine smashed on the rocks, and down the streets in Sliema.Shouting in our once quiet streets.Horrible.
H Galea
Jul 14th 2010, 13:06
What ever this student has commited, I want him out of where he is now. We has more serious cases in this country, such as killings and drugs etc. Please consider that he is in a foreign country, and perhaps does not speak the language, it's not a nice place to lock up a student. Where are the Ministers, do they not read the news, don't they have a heart. Is this the good relations we have with Russia. Not even spies are kept in prison that long!!!! We all know our race very well, i don't have to elaborate about the character of youths. We used to host students, so i know how they feel. Once we were given a present which they bring along from home, and what was this present, A Pen Knife and by whom a French Girl. They are young so we expect anything but we never had any problems. Yes we had, one of them woke up dressed and was ready to go out. She mixed the time from 07.00 pm to am. This is to show these youths pass trough in coming to study. I wish to see this boy FREE soonest possable.
J Saliba
Jul 14th 2010, 15:48
And who are you exactly to decide. "i want him out" i m sure you would have a different opinion if the victim was a relative of yours.
Kurt Falzon
Jul 14th 2010, 16:59
H. Galea,
Im one of the boys that got hit by this russian, do you like it if your son got stabbed and you see the guy who did it roaming around in the streets ? justice is to everyone not only to grown ups, before you speak think !!
N Portelli
Jul 14th 2010, 17:37
Yes I would let him out... out of this country and with a ban for life!! Imagine if it was the other way round, A Maltese stabbed a Russian in Russia. Would they let him out?
BDW regarding Dimitri’s comment, I work in tourism and agree with you 100%... the students come here for a holiday and not for studying!
Luke Zammit
Jul 14th 2010, 17:41
" I wish to see this boy FREE soonest possible" - Are you serious? "attempted murder" reminder "attempted murder" i don't care if he is Maltese or Russian neither his age. "attempted murder" = punishment.
I. Marennikova
Jul 14th 2010, 20:53
H. Galea,
i agree with you that the boy might just have been in a wrong place at the wrong time. would one attack or start fighting without a reason with another two or more people? i don't think so. Would anybody use a pen knife while being not in his home country but as a guest, without a reason (such as a self-protection for example, as we know that there's a non-safe area in Bugibba). don't think so either.
Plus, he is a non-adult and the responsibility MUST be on his mentor or supervisor, which is an obvious school instance.
Dr Steve Farrugia
Jul 15th 2010, 07:47
And what if he attempts to kill your son/daughter/sister/brother?? ....
You want him out??? You're hilarious
Anthony Cardona
Jul 15th 2010, 11:05
Diplomacy and Politics will always prevail... I have a feeling this boy will soon be out and away to his native country.
d castillo
Jul 14th 2010, 09:29
i worked for a full year as a leisure services coordinator with one of the top english schools in malta 18 years ago, and i am appalled at how society in general has changed!
i was in charge of organising tours and outings for groups, and saw all ages ranging from 12 to 50. not ONCE did we have any trouble with any students. if pick up time was at 1am, you'd find all students at the designated meeting place, on time! we rarely had to wait for anyone. in a group of 30, there was always 1 l.s.c. and 3 or 4 animators, which made sure (apart from having a good time) that none of the students ever got into trouble. students were more responsible and more respectful of those responsible for them.
i believe it is the new generation of parents AND animators involved who should be more responsible.
a hotel next to us hosts students as young as 10 (seen with my own eyes) all sharing rooms. who is to stop these children from "sneaking out" at 3am? are there any adults looking out for them?? shouldn't ANY students under 18 be hosted by families?
S. Borg
Jul 15th 2010, 08:06
What really disgusts me is that these so called animators, rather than being responsible, are getting drunk with these students and some even engaging in relationships with these students. Mela instead of doing your job and taking care of the students, you are behaving like them. no discipline at all. I don't believe that these students come to learn English but rather to party and have a good time.
Dimitri
Jul 13th 2010, 21:52
Do you really believe one can learn a language for a couple of weeks?! Do not be naive! For the "schools" and the travel agencies it is just a business. Making money. For the youngsters it is "freedom": clubs, alcohol, sex. For the parents it is a possibility to have some rest without their spoiled children. So it is win-win business for everybody but the neigbours...
Catherine Zammit
Jul 14th 2010, 08:33
It is illegal to carry any knife without reason or icence when the blade exceeds the width of 4 fingers - 6cm - abroad even the long metal nail files are being phased out as they can be used as a weapon.
there are other legal ways to protect yourself as a woman - hairspray or deodorant cannot be ruled illegal and you have a right to carry your deo with you - i will leave it to you to figure out how to use it painfully.
Catherine Zammit
Jul 14th 2010, 08:40
Dimitri I taught English for over 15 years in these kind of language schools and yes 2 weeks can make a huge difference if and only if you actually want to learn. I agree that more supervision is needed, however even when I worked in a school where they have a system of house parent who roams the corridors at night and we had girls; supposedly the fairer or weaker sex, prise open intentionally screwed down windows to avoid runaways - you cannot possibly have an adult in every hotel room to make sure this doesn't happen.
Unfortunately no matter what accidents will happen, and where there are numbers so will criminal incidents. A criminal mind doesn't start in adult hood it is there from youth, teaching has shown me that time and again.
Neil Sant
Jul 14th 2010, 10:12
It's more than possible to learn a language in under a month. It depends on motivation and natural aptitude for language learning but anyone can do it if they're so inclined!
Dr Steve Farrugia
Jul 15th 2010, 07:49
It doesn't work like that my friend... these people come to malta on a studying vacation, but still study in their own country. They come for 1 months up to 4 months during summer, and they socialise with other english speakers.
Pule' Carmel
Jul 13th 2010, 21:45
Perhaps the result of a secular formation wihout spiritual formation!!
Neil Sant
Jul 14th 2010, 08:45
Christian Orthodoxy is very big in Russia. Perhaps this child was brought up in the Orthodox faith. Would that then allow one to put the blame on this formation, or are there other factors at play?
Dr Steve Farrugia
Jul 15th 2010, 07:56
We can blame religion, we can blame the parents, we can blame the soil, or the sun...we can blame anything!! But the point remains, this KID has allegedly attempted to murder another, and in civilised countries under the united nations and the european union, we DO NOT ALLOW MURDER....
Secularisation is a big word, and to be honest, I wouldn't even consider it, as religion has nothing to do with this act. The most probable excuse would be self defence... But he allegedly stabbed, not avoided to be stabbed...which makes him a potential criminal, and thus, he needs to be punished accordingly...
I say, deportation to russia, and names and faces on the news so that if we see the bugger again, we contact authorities.... REGARDLESS the fact he's 16...
There are times when being under 16 doesn't matter, so names NEED to be given out.
Shirley Spiteri
Jul 13th 2010, 20:14
Who is responsible for all these foreign "English School" students who seems to have no responsible adults setting curfews and acceptable behaviour guidelines and generally supervising them?. Whoever is supposed to be doing this is not doing their job that is for sure. Fifteen year olds jumping from balconies and now this youngster stabbing teenagers what is going on here? Do their foreign parents have any idea of what their children are going to be doing all day and all night in Malta when they enroll them in these english programs.? I have heard they they are rude and totally uninterested in learning anything except how to have a better time at a party. The authorities need to come down on these schools to make sure that they have control over their students in school and especially out.
Marthese Mussett
Jul 13th 2010, 19:41
What scares me most of all is the AGE of these kids.
Dan Carabott
Jul 13th 2010, 16:47
How exactly does one run "in the road in a way that posed a danger"??
Chris Reiff
Jul 13th 2010, 18:19
By carrying a pen knife
Maria Fenech
Jul 13th 2010, 19:56
Chris Reiff, I carry a pen knife 90% of the time aswell when I'm going around as a sort of selfprotection from people one doesn't really one to meet. You can buy a penknife from so many places and I'd say I'm one of the people who don't pose a threat. And it's the first time I've read about needing to have a licence for a pen knife. But If I carry a houseknife around because I can't buy a pen knife I'd pose just as much of a "danger" as someone with a pen knife right? A pen knife is not such a knife but also a tool for various things
Chris Reiff
Jul 13th 2010, 21:47
I believe that he carried the pen knife in his hand, considering he supposedly stabbed two people with it. Running around with a drawn pen knife, that is dangerous.
C. Farrugia
Jul 13th 2010, 16:01
He came to Malta to study English??! Joke of the year!! He should be studying Sociology, and how he should act to befit living in a society!
s.koludrovic
Jul 13th 2010, 14:28
Not a good month for the Russian community.
MT Caruana
Jul 13th 2010, 14:22
Who is responsible for this kid ??
Neil Sant
Jul 13th 2010, 12:25
When it rains, it pours...
ALBERT FENECH
Jul 13th 2010, 12:19
I was in the vicinity of this incident. From 04.50 onwards - until the time of the incident - that part of Triq it-Turisti was a "no go" area because the few early morning passers-by did not hazard encroach in that area. If he is found gulity, and if there are others involved, I trust this will not result in just a "slap on the wrist" and deportation. This country is sick and tired of this indirect "approval" of lawlessness and criminality and is shouting out for proper justice to be meted out. These are small islands and the least we can expect is to be safe in our streets at any time whether day or night.