Brandon Pace, the young man stabbed to death in Hamrun on April 2, had run out of his apartment bare-chested and barefoot to face his aggressors after a slandering match conducted from the balcony of his father's flat, a court was told today.

This evidence was given by Donna Pace, the victim's sister, during the compilation of evidence against Kurt Grech, a 23-year-old driver known as in-Nemes, and his father Joseph, 53, who stand accused of murder.

The woman recalled how that Sunday evening at around 6.30pm she happened to drive past her parents' house while on her way to collect a cake for her daughter's birthday party.

She saw Kurt Grech, together with his father Joseph and mother Anna Marie, exchanging insults with her brother Brandon, his partner and mother. Tiles were also being hurled from the balcony.

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By the time she reached the common entrance of the apartment block, her brother was running out of the door in spite of her mother's efforts to stop him.  

Ms Pace said she grabbed her brother by the waist and tried to pull him back as he rushed to face the Grechs in the middle of the street.

"I don't want to confront you because you're an elderly man," Mr Pace allegedly told Joseph Grech, before turning to Kurt Grech, his girlfriend's former partner, and challenging him to a fist fight. "Why have you come for me armed with knives?"

"Why have you come for me armed with knives?" Mr Pace had asked.

As the ensuing argument became increasingly violent, Ms Pace and her brother stumbled to the ground. It was at that moment that Ms Pace said she saw Kurt Grech stabbing her brother with a yellow knife as he lay on the ground.

Shortly afterwards, as Mr Pace struggled to his feet and staggered towards the apartment block, Ms Pace recalled seeing Joseph Grech stab her brother in the back.

She said she punched Joseph Grech who turned his knife upon her, but was stopped in his tracks by her partner.

Shortly after, Brandon Pace collapsed at the common entrance and breathed his last as his sister held him in her arms.

Under cross-examination, Ms Pace admitted how she had rushed to her car intending to run over her brother's aggressors, but the Grechs had already fled the scene.

A point of contention arose regarding whether the victim had also been armed when he entered the fray. His sister insisted under oath that Brandon Pace had not been in possession of a knife when he rushed downstairs. However, she had glimpsed a knife in his hand at some point of the fight.

At the end of the sitting, the defence informed the court, presided over by Magistrate Aaron Bugeja, that it was withdrawing the bail request on behalf of Kurt Grech in the best interests of public order and peace. However, in respect of the other co-accused Joseph Grech, the defence observed that the man was a self-employed farmer who presented no fear of absconding or tampering with evidence.

The court is to declare in chambers as to whether Joseph Grech is to be granted bail.

Inspector Keith Arnaud prosecuted.

Lawyers Roberto Montalto and Vincent Galea were defence counsel.

Lawyers Noel Bianco and Silvio Brincat were parte civile.