A home intruder who attacked a St Paul’s Bay resident, causing him serious head injuries, was trying to save his girlfriend, a court heard on Saturday.

Luke Farrugia, 24, from Żabbar, was on Saturday charged with grievously injuring the man and stealing electronics from his home.

Defence lawyer Roberto Montalto said in court it was apparent from his client’s statement to the police that he was, in fact, trying to save his girlfriend, who he found in a bad way inside the St Paul’s Bay flat.

He said the girlfriend’s own statement to the police more or less matched this version of events.

In arguing for bail, Dr Montalto said it would appear that there was some sort of drug activity going on inside the residence.

The man who had suffered the head injuries, he said, would probably not want to testify, so it would be unfair keeping his client in jail for a month.

Prosecuting officer Clayton Camilleri told the court that the victim had suffered a brain haemorrhage and was still being kept in an induced coma.

The police inspector expressed his fear that Mr Farrugia would try and approach witnesses if released on bail.

He said the accused had kept on insisting he wanted to speak to his girlfriend on the way to the courtroom.

Police were still looking for the driver of the vehicle used to flee the scene, the inspector continued, and other witnesses were being questioned.

Magistrate Simone Grech denied bail.