Failed bank robbery suspect is third time lucky

Two men charged with involvement in the failed heist at the HSBC headquarters were yesterday granted bail, following the third attempt in the case of one of them.

Vincent Muscat, 48, of no fixed address, had already been granted bail on September 28 but this was revoked by the appeals court on the basis that Magistrate Edwina Grima had granted them bail in terms of an incorrect provision of the law.

A second request for bail by Mr Muscat was turned down on grounds there were still three more witnesses to be heard and the fear that he might tamper with evidence.

In a third attempt, when Mr Muscat was joined by co-accused Darren Debono, 33, Magistrate Grima granted them bail against a personal guarantee of €15,000 and a deposit of €5,000 once the witnesses had been heard.

They are facing 18 charges which include the attempted murder of two police officers who foiled the June 30 hold-up that ended in a shootout outside the bank in Qormi. The would-be robbers managed to get away, however, there was a breakthrough in investigations when Mr Debono turned up at a clinic to be treated for a bullet lodged in his jaw.

Three robbers wearing wigs and fake moustaches entered the HSBC headquarters at about 7.30 p.m. Two police officers arrived on the scene after receiving a phone call about a suspicious-looking vehicle outside the main entrance. However, on arrival, the suspect car sped off and the officers gave chase.

When the policemen returned to inspect the front of the bank after they lost the car, they came face-to-face with the aggressors and a shootout ensued with about 60 bullets being exchanged.

Lawyer Joseph Giglio appeared for Mr Debono.

Lawyers David Gatt, Chris Cardona and Mark Vassallo appeared for Mr Muscat.