Josef Grech, the man behind the unofficial biography of late former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff. Photo: Matthew MirabelliJosef Grech, the man behind the unofficial biography of late former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff, yesterday renounced any criminal action against the men he claimed tried to attack him with a sickle.
Mr Grech, 32, used to date a girl half his age and had claimed her grandfather and uncle attacked him with a sickle thinking the teenager was with him after she had run away from home.
The grandfather, John Vassallo, 63, and his 27-year-old son Johann, both of Dingli, were originally charged with trying to kill him but the Attorney General downgraded the charge to attempted serious injury.
Since Mr Grech has now renounced criminal action, other charges against the men, such as causing minor injury, were dropped. However, the charges of attempted serious injury and breaching public peace remain, to which they are pleading not guilty.
When he was testifying during the case, Mr Grech had denied knowing the girl was only 16. He denied it a second time when defence lawyer Franco Debono noted he had organised a surprise birthday party for her.
He further denied being questioned by the police Vice Squad over their relationship. In separate proceedings Mr Grech is pleading not guilty to defiling the girl.
When he was testifying, Mr Grech claimed the grandfather chased him with a sickle. After covering a short distance, the witness said he stopped to try and reason things out but the grandfather was waving the sickle at him and, at one point, he found himself on the ground.
The uncle then kicked him and the grandfather placed a white nylon cord around his neck and wound it three or four times before telling him that he would tie him to the van and drive off, Mr Grech said.
He was hit with the sickle on his left side, he added. The police arrived soon afterwards and brought the situation under control. Mr Grech is a convicted fraudster and has spent time behind bars. He has three other pending cases over fraud and falsification.
Three weeks ago he was given an extension to a suspended jail term he received for defrauding a DIY shop in Mrieħel.
A self-proclaimed professor, Mr Grech launched his book about Mr Mintoff on December 22 and had also set up a foundation to honour him barely 12 hours after former prime minister’s death in August.
The 1,048-page book, called Duminku Mintoff u Malta fi Żmienu, opens with a note from the author and a foreword by former notary Sandro Schembri Adami, who has been jailed for defrauding clients and was in jail at the same time Mr Grech was there.
The Labour Party had distanced itself from the foundation, saying it had not approved it.