Patrick Grixti, 33 of Birkirkara, this morning started undergoing trial by jury accused of the attempted murder of Francis Farrugia.

Grixti is alleged to have purposely run over Farrugia in September 2005.

He is also accused of slightly injuring three other persons.

The court was told that the accused allegedly drove at Mr Farrugia following a bumper to bumper accident and an argument.

The victim told the court that after their argument, the accused first reversed onto him then performed a u-turn and drove at him again. Mr Farrugia said he ended up pinned between the pavement and the bottom of Mr Grixti's car.

Kimberly Farrugia, the victim's daughter, said that when she looked out of a window, she saw the two men fighting. By the time she came out of her house, her father was under Mr Grixti's car. She went up to the accused, arguing with him, and he hit her with a pointed object. She told Mr Grixti to leave her father alone, and that he was going to kill him, to which Mr Grixti replied: 'let him die'.

Her uncle John Zammit came out of his garage to help her, and Mr Grixti also tried to hit him, Ms Farrugia said.

The trial is being presided by Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono.