An elderly grocer who was assaulted by a man wielding a knife has called for better protection after his attacker returned the following day to a bar next to the man’s shop.

Carmel Testa, 68, was attacked as he closed his Floriana grocery last Tuesday. He was cut behind his left ear and left arm and immediately filed a police report.

However, he was flabbergasted to see the man back at the bar the following day, acting “as though nothing happened”.

“He did not speak to me but this should not be allowed,” he said, stressing that there should be better structures in place to protect victims of crime – even before a case is decided in court.

Mr Testa added that the police informed him that they had called the man in for questioning and would be charging him in court by summons. However, since Mr Testa’s injuries were not considered to be serious, the man was not arrested and police could not stop him from going to the bar.

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