A judge yesterday showed no clemency to a man who “terrorised Gozo” with his constant aggressive attitude, even suggesting that jurors should be aware of suspects’ criminal records before deliberating.

Mr Justice Michael Mallia said the court had always been lenient with Pasqualino Cefai, 38, from Żebbuġ, Gozo, before jailing him for seven years over a courtroom stabbing two years ago.

Mr Justice Mallia referred to Mr Cefai’s colourful criminal record, noting that trouble with law and order had started from the very tender age of 16. In this context, he suggested that the suspects’ right to know what evidence the police had against them and to be assisted by a lawyer ought to be balanced by informing jurors about their criminal records to help them reach their verdict.

Anticipating opposition to the proposal, the judge admitted that this was a novel idea for Malta and something that had to be studied (see page 4).

Mr Cefai was last week found guilty at the end of a week-long trial by jury of stabbing Joseph Portelli and seriously injuring him. He was cleared of attempted murder.

Mr Portelli had been stabbed at least 14 times in a Gozo courtroom during a sitting in 2012 in a case in which Mr Cefai sought to prevent Mr Portelli from executing a warrant of seizure of two trucks which had been demanded as payment for an outstanding debt of €10,000.

In his judgment, Mr Justice Mallia said Mr Cefai deserved no clemency given that he had started having trouble with the law since he was 16 and had been systematically arraigned every two years.

Courts too lenient to him over the years, says judge

Mr Cefai “terrorised Gozo” and, as a result of court leniency over the years, he continued his “life of aggression and bullying”, using violence to achieve his goals.

“A depressive state was not a good enough excuse for this behaviour. It was a cowardly act and typical of his character. Despite being given a solution, he chose to ignore it and opted for aggression. He deserves the maximum [punishment] and does not deserve any leniency as he did not show mercy with his victims,” he said.

He therefore jailed Mr Cefai for five years for the stabbing and added another six months jail for breaching his bail conditions while awaiting judgment.

Moreover, he brought into effect an 18-month suspended jail term, handed down in April 2012, which he had breached by committing the stabbing incident.

Therefore, Mr Cefai was jailed for a total of seven years.

He was also ordered to pay €6,000 in court expenses.