Witness recounts finding woman unconscious

A man yesterday recounted finding an 80-year-old woman lying unconscious and bleeding in Dingli Circus, Sliema. The woman, Rose Garroni, had been mugged and died of her injuries a few days later.

“She was lying on her back senseless and blood was coming out of her head. She was still clutching a chain in her hand. It looked like it belonged to a handbag,” Sliema resident James Buhagiar testified.

The witness told Magistrate Anthony Vella he was not carrying his mobile phone at the time, so he stopped a car passing through and asked the driver to use his to call an ambulance and the police.

Ms Garroni died of head injuries on December 14, six days after the attack a few metres away from her apartment.

Mr Buhagiar was testifying in the compilation of evidence against Charlie Brincat, 30, of Cospicua, Richard Attard, 29, of Birkirkara and 21-year-old Bernice Camilleri of Qawra, who are pleading not guilty to stealing Ms Garroni’s handbag and causing her death as a result of their violent act.

Ms Camilleri and Mr Attard sat close to each other during the proceedings, her hand on his leg. She was wearing a new hairdo, with her hair plaited back into tight cornrows. The three are also pleading not guilty to stealing another handbag, an hour and 30 minutes later, from 88-year-old Maria Cassar in Manwel Dimech Street also in Sliema. The prosecution is alleg­­ing they committed the second robbery after buying drugs from Cospicua.

Ms Cassar’s two nieces testified, describing how they were about to cross the road when a man, whom they could not identify, snatched a purse off their aunt’s shoulder. “He went running down a side street,” Margot Debono said.

The accused were remanded in custody and the case was put off to March. Police Inspectors Chris Pullicino and Anne Marie Micallef prosecuted.

Lawyers Mark Busuttil and Mark Anthony Mifsud appeared for the accused.