One of the psychiatrists who had been appointed by the courts to review the alleged Mosta cat killer died about two years ago.

Nicholas Grech was arraigned earlier this year and accused of animal cruelty, offending the Catholic religion and unlawful entry into a number of chapels and crypt. He had pleaded not guilty and a court remanded him at Mt Carmel Hospital and requested a psychiatric assessment.

The compilation of was postponed on April 1 because his assessment had not been completed.

Magistrate Carol Peralta had then said it was not right that the accused had been kept under arrest and the psychiatrist had not yet seen him.

He ordered for the psychiatrist to be notified and insisted that the report had to be completed on time and had to be exhaustive, conclusive and include details of previous behaviour.

But it has now emerged that unbeknown to the court, the appointed psychiatrist died more than two years ago.

A new one is to be appointed.