A Valletta man who has been under preventive custody since his alleged involvement in a shooting close to St Elmo on June 16, has been granted bail as the compilation of evidence against him draws to a close. 

Massimo Caruana, a 35-year-old unemployed man, stands charged with the attempted murder of Noel Mifsud when he allegedly shot him in the leg in Triq l-Ixprun, Valletta.

Mr Caruana is also charged with carrying an unlicensed weapon during the commission of a crime, slightly injuring Mr Mifsud, threatening Mr Mifsud and his father, Alfred, and breaching the peace.

Mr Caruana, who has other pending criminal proceedings, some dating back to 2006, is also further accused of breaching the bail conditions in two pending cases and relapsing.

As the compilation of evidence against him continued, presiding Magistrate Josette Demicoli upheld a request for bail against a €6,000 deposit and a €10,000 personal guarantee. 

She ordered him to be home by 9.30pm every evening and remain home until 7am the following morning. He must also sign the bail book at the Valletta police station daily. 

The court has heard how the shooting incident was the culmination of a long-standing dispute between two families over a car purchased jointly by a former couple. 

Alfred Mifsud, the victim's son, told the court that he had dated Mr Caruana’s mother, Anna, and when their relationship ended, he expected her to return the Peugeot they had bought together.

He said he had paid for the car himself but it was registered in her name. The matter, he continued, had been pending for several months and had ended up in court. Alfred Mifsud said there was another issue over a Subaru being used by Mr Caruana but which was registered in his name.

Mr Caruana’s partner, with whom he has two children, is Alfred Mifsud’s daughter. Insisting he treated Mr Caruana, the father of his grandchildren, as a son, Alfred Mifsud said that earlier on the day of the incident, his son Noel had received a call from Mr Caruana and the two agreed to meet close to Fort St Elmo. He accompanied him and all of a sudden heard a shot and saw his son with a gaping hole in his leg. 

“I turned to Massimo and told him: ‘Do you realise what you have done?’ And he replied: ‘I will shoot you, too, and blow your head off’,” the witness said.

Medical expert Jonathan Joslin told the court that although Noel Mifsud's injuries were classified as slight, there might be complications in the future. 

Police Inspector Darryl Borg is prosecuting while lawyer Charmaine Cherrett is representing Mr Caruana.