A man who was stabbed up to 20 times in a Gozo courtroom in 2012 would have died had he not been given immediate first aid, jurors heard this morning.

Prosecutor Lara Lanfranco was making her introductory remarks during the trial by jury of Pasqualino Cefai, 39, who stands accused of the attempted murder of Joseph Portelli. Both men are from Zebbug, Gozo.

Dr Lanfranco explained how the two men had various court cases. Portelli was owed a considerable sum of money from Cefai and a court had ordered the seizure of two of his trucks to be used as compensation.

The case happened on June 6, 2012 before Magistrate Josette Demicoli who had been presiding over a civil court case between Mr Portelli and Mr Cefai.

Police Inspector Bernard Spiteri, said the stabbing happened inside the court room where civil cases are heard. When he arrived there, he found the victim on the floor near the witness stand. He had blood on his head and back and was being given first aid.

The victim and the accused had been in court after the accused contested the court seizure of his two trucks.

Following the stabbing, Mr Cefai gave himself up at Victoria police station.

During the court sitting, Mr Cefai had insisted that he had a wife and two children to feed and their livelihood depended on these trucks.

Magistrate Josette Demicoli ordered him to leave and after a few seconds, he walked back in, went straight to Mr Portelli and began hitting him with a knife in a downward motion.

Mr Portelli tried to protect himself . He did not retaliate but fell on the floor and Cefai began hitting him on the floor too.