Daughter says father swore to kill her mother

The daughter of a Siggiewi man accused of trying to kill his wife by shooting at her told the court her father had gone to the shop where she worked and swore he would kill her mother.

Lorraine Falzon testified before Magistrate Noel Cuschieri in the compilation of evidence against her father, Anthony, 46, who is pleading not guilty to the attempted murder of his wife, Lourdes, on April 5 at about noon.

He is also charged with seriously injuring her, keeping and carrying a firearm and ammunition without a licence and endangering people`s lives by shooting in public.

Falzon`s daughter yesterday said there had always been problems at home and last August she had left home together with her mother and brother.

She said they spent a night in a boathouse belonging to their uncle and later lived with relatives but they were in constant fear that her father would track them down.

She said her father had phoned her at work the day after they left home and told her that unless she returned home she would not find her car. He later informed her he had thrown her car in his quarry.

The following Sunday she went to check in the quarry and saw the mangled wreck of her Peugeot upside down at the bottom of the quarry.

She said a report was filed with the police about the matter as had several other reports been filed about other incidents.

Last January, her father went to the shop where she worked in Valletta and, making a mark of a cross by his finger on the counter, swore he was going to get a shotgun to kill her mother as he did not want the separation case to go ahead.

The daughter said she had filed a report with the police about the matter. Shortly afterwards, her mother was giving her a lift and they saw her father cross the road but her mother ignored him and kept on driving.

Asked by the defence whether her father had made any attempts to speak to them on that day, the witness broke down and started crying, saying her mother was terrified whenever she saw her father.

At this stage, the accused told his lawyer not to keep pressing her as he could not stand seeing her cry.

Several police officers stationed in various police stations testified about reports filed by the victim and her children. Most of the reports dealt with threats and other intimidating behaviour by the accused. There was also a report by the accused against his wife and children after they had told him over the phone he was being followed.

The officers said the woman and her children had explained to them that they feared he was up to something and wanted to give him the impression that he was being watched so that he would think twice before doing anything.

A police sergeant said that when he spoke to the accused at the Siggiewi police station shortly after the shooting the latter had told him "Qabzitli, m`hemmx x`taghmel" (I lost control, there is nothing one can do about it).

He said Falzon had said problems with his wife had started some seven months before, when he was using a small pen knife while eating a piece of bread and some tomatoes and cheese and she went smoking next to him, when she knew how he hated cigarette smoke.

He said his wife asked for money as she wanted to dye her hair. He said he jokingly told her to go and tell the hairdresser he would be paid later. She told him that if he did not give her any money she would ask her children for money and he said that if she did so he would stab her.

Paul Rapa, a Farsons representative, said the accused`s wife used to work as a part time sales representative and on one occasion the accused had gone to speak to him and told him to stop her working. He told the accused he could not do that and that if they had any problems they should sort them out between them.

The case continues.

Police Inspectors Michael Mallia and Raymond D`Anastas prosecuted.

Dr Albert Libreri is appearing for Falzon and Dr Joseph Giglio is appearing in parte civile for the victim.