The wife of a man who died when he choked on a piece of chicken said her husband was frequently given solid foods, including bread, despite strict instructions that he was to consume only a soft diet.

An emotional Eileen Darmanin, who lost her husband John two years ago, also questioned how her husband had spent 90 minutes dead in a toilet without any alarm being raised, despite its proximity to the nurses’ room.

She was testifying before Magistrate Anthony Vella in the compilation of evidence against chief nurse Maria Bondin, 57, from Paola, nursing aide Carol Bonnici, 55, from Siġġiewi, and nurse David Sant, 30, from Għargħur, who are pleading not guilty to Mr Darmanin’s involuntary homicide.

Mr Darmanin suffered from dementia but he had seen his health further deteriorate after he suffered a stroke on January 10, 2012 and internal bleeding after a fall.

He was taken to Karen Grech Hospital but died in a toilet of one of the wards only three months later, on March 7, 2012, after having choked on a piece of chicken.

At the time, he was on a strict diet of fluids and soft food. There was also a sign affixed to his bed frame, pointing this out.

Ms Darmanin told the court that nurses were instructed to supervise her husband while he was eating but despite the soft food diet, her husband was frequently given solid food including Brussels sprouts and bread.

“Two weeks before he died, he was given a pie and when I told the nurse that he could not eat solid foods, she told me that there was no more food for him,” she said.

Another time, she said, her husband’s face had swelled up because he had a piece of bread lodged in his throat.

Two weeks before he died, he was given a pie

After he was found, he was rushed to Mater Dei Hospital but he had already died at Karen Grech. She said she had been told by nurses that a piece of food got stuck and they did not manage to get it out.

She said she had asked several times what her husband had been fed but her questions remained unanswered.

The case continues next month.

Lawyer Stefan Filletti appeared in parte civile for the Darmanin family, lawyer Lucio Sciriha appeared for Ms Bondin, lawyer Steve Tonna Lowell for Mr Bonnici and lawyer Kris Scicluna for Mr Sant.