A court-appointed psychiatrist yesterday admitted his assessment of an attempted murder suspect was not in-depth because he was “under pressure” by the police to conclude his work.

Psychiatrist Joseph Vella Baldacchino said he examined Pasqualino Cefai at Mount Carmel Hospital on June 7 – a day after he allegedly stabbed and grievously injured Joseph Portelli along with lawyer Kevin Mompalao in the Gozo courtroom.

“I was under pressure to issue the report as the police wanted to see if they could arraign him,” he told Magistrate Neville Camilleri.

Dr Vella Baldacchino said he had been appointed by Magistrate Paul Coppini and asked to say if Mr Cefai was fit to stand trial. Mr Cefai was arraigned on June 8.

In answer to questions by Mr Cefai’s defence lawyer Giannella de Marco during a compilation of evidence in the Gozo courts yesterday, Dr Vella Baldacchino said there were no evident signs of strong depression when he examined him.

The accused had a family history of mental health problems and was under a psychiatrist’s care. However, time had passed since he last met the doctor and he had also stopped taking the pills he had been prescribed for at least a month before the incident, Dr Vella Baldacchino said.

When asked by Dr de Marco whether not taking medication could exacerbate his depression, Dr Vella Baldacchino said it could.

“I couldn’t go in-depth into his condition. I was asked to see if he was able to follow the process and he was capable of doing so,” he said.

He also said that he did not examine Mr Cefai’s medical file but only saw the admission form. When pressed by Dr de Marco, he said he could not remember what was written on the form, including whether he had been given medication.

At the same hearing, Dr de Marco asked for bail for her client and the magistrate referred the request to the Attorney General’s office for a reply.

Prosecuting Inspector Bernard Spiteri said he objected to bail, especially because the main victim had not yet testified.

Mr Portelli, who was due to testify yesterday, did not turn up. A medical certificate was presented to the magistrate during the sitting.

However, Dr de Marco queried the certificate and asked Magistrate Camilleri to summon the doctor who issued it.

“I heard that he recently went to his daughter’s wedding,” she said while pointing out that if he suffered from an asthma attack, she suffered from them too and still turned up.

She said she was angry Mr Portelli had not yet been called to testify since the incident, which took place in June, and pointed out that if the prosecution was so worried about him, they would have called him immediately.

Magistrate Camilleri accepted her request and ordered the prosecution to issue a summons to the doctor.