A tree that the star witness in a case against a former police inspector said was used for target practice was never used, a magistrate was told yesterday.

David Gatt, who had been dismissed from the force, is pleading not guilty to having masterminded a string of high profile hold-ups, including the failed heist on the HSBC headquarters in June 2010 and another unsuc-cessful robbery on an Attard jeweller in November that year.

Police Inspector Ramon Cassar said that Police Constable Mario Portelli had spoken about a tree in a field that was used for target practice. However, when investigators went on site to check, they found nothing.

He said no bullet marks were found. The tree had even been uprooted for further tests and still nothing was found.

Lawyer Joe Giglio appeared for Dr Gatt.

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