A man accused of an attempted robbery insisted today that he was not involved in the case, adding that the elderly woman who was robbed would have immediately recognised him as she knew him well.

As his trial by jury entered its final phase, Jonathan Felice opted to testify to tell jurors that he was not there during the robbery. He said the woman would not have had any qualm recognising him as he played in her street when he was younger.

He was 17-years-old at the time of the crime eight years ago but Mr Justice Michael Mallia today ordered that his name can be published anyway as he was now 25.

Mr Felice stands accused with breaking into the home of Dolores Debono, 81, in the afternoon of June 27, 2006, along with two other men. He is also accused of grievously injuring the woman who suffered fractured to her toes.

Mr Felice's version of events, however, was shot down by the prosecuting lawyers from the Attorney General's office who insisted that the elderly victim recognised the accused on four occasions - twice during two separate identification parades, once through photographs shown to her by the police and another time in court when she testified in his compilation of evidence.

The case continues.

Lawyers Giannella Busuttil and Nadia Attard are prosecuting on behalf of the Attorney General's Office while lawyer Leslie Cuschieri is defending the accused.