A man who stands charged with the murder of his 61-year-old father-in-law plans to sell his house to deposit €50,000 in court and be granted bail.

Gregorio Scicluna, 53, is charged with killing Joseph Caruana in front of his former partner, Simone Caruana (the victim’s daughter), and the couple’s children on October 27, 2013. The victim was killed at the home of the accused in Kalkara.

Mr Scicluna had already been granted bail last October, but the Attorney General appealed and the Magistrates’ Court’s decision was overturned.

He filed another application for bail, which was accepted by Mr Justice Antonio Mizzi, sitting in the Criminal Court. He was granted bail against a deposit of €50,000 and a €50,000 personal guarantee.

In the murder case, the victim’s spine was hit. He had a fractured skull and lacerated brain

Mr Justice Mizzi also ordered him to sign the bail book and be home by 9pm every day.

During the compilation of evidence, the court was told that a pellet hit Mr Caruana in his spine.

He also had a fractured skull and his brain was lacerated.

The victim sustained a brain haemorrhage due to a blow to the head and it emerged in court that Mr Caruana had been hit so hard on the head with the butt of a shotgun that the weapon broke in two.

The Attorney General had objected to bail, noting that Mr Scicluna had relapsed, having been found guilty of assisting a woman in her attempt to kill her husband.

Lawyers Michael and Lucio Sciriha are acting as defence counsel.