A man who was shot at five times but hit only once in an incident eight years ago this afternoon described to a court what had happened on the fateful day.

Jonathan Spiteri testified in the trial of Ronnie Azzopardi, who is accused of attempted murder.

Mr Spiteri said he had known the accused ever since they were both very young because they were neighbours.

On January 5 eight years ago, Mr Spiteri said he was with his girlfriend and was driving his brother's car.

At about 9 p.m. he parked near the playing field at Marsascala. The accused greeted him along with his mother and two children.

At about 12.30 he returned to his car and found a parking ticket. As he drove past Razzatt tal-Hbiberija he heard a scrambler motorcycle behind him. He moved to the side, and saw that it was the accused on the bike.

The accused, he said, fired two shots at him, and and as he ducked he heard another three.

Mr Spiteri said he felt that the shooter wanted him to know who was shooting, before he died.

"I played dead and drove into a wall. He stopped and then drove off," Mr Spiteri said.

He said he flagged down a car and asked the driver to take him to a police station.

At hospital he immediately told the police that it was Ronnie Azzopardi who had shot him (causing him a shoulder injury).

"Before I died I wanted them to know that it was him. I recognised him because the helmet was partly open," Mr Spiteri said. He had also recognised his motorcycle.

Mr Spiteri said that when the accused drew up behind him and started shooting he was not more than a metre away.

He had seen the accused pull out his gun.

On being hit, from what must have been the second shot, Mr Spiteri said he felt a burning sensation.

"My instinct told me to play dead. I kept my eyes open while I was on the seat and saw him doing something with the gun and he left."

Mr Spiteri said that even though the accused had driven up behind him, he knew it was him. The first thing he looked for was the number plate, but there was none.

The prosecution is claiming that Mr Azzopardi wanted to kill Mr Spiteri as revenge after the victim's brother, Melchior Spiteri, shot dead Jason Azzopardi, the brother of the accused.