A Gozitan stone mason left court a free man last night after jurors cleared him of trying to kill his brother-in-law in an argument over inheritance.

Carmel Vella, 58, of Xewkija was found not guilty by seven votes to two of attempted murder. The jury concluded he had acted in self-defence in the incident that occurred in Xewkija in April 2007.

The victim, Carmel Xerri, was hit on the head with a crowbar, which caused a small depressed skull fracture on his forehead.

Although receiving quite a blow, three doctors who testified said Mr Xerri was never in danger of dying and, in fact, was rather lucid and still fully functional after the incident. Mr Xerri has since died of natural causes.

Mr Vella always maintained it had been Mr Xerri who appeared out of nowhere and accused him of passing remarks in his regard with the family. Mr Vella insisted he had first been attacked by Mr Xerri who was wielding a stone masons’ set square. Mr Vella reacted by getting hold of a crowbar, hitting Mr Xerri with it on the head in self-defence.

After Mr Justice Michael Mallia walked out of the court room, Mr Vella hugged his lawyers, Giannella Caruana Curran, Joseph Giglio and Steve Tonna Lowell, and wept as he left the dock to celebrate his release with his family.

Shortly afterwards he remarked to his lawyers he had been through so much that if anyone attacked him and tried to throw him off the roof, he would actually jump.