'Don't waste our time', court tells AG as 60 officers are called to testify
Ongoing case against boxer Scott Dixon and psychiatrist Mark Xuereb over fake medical certificates
A court has reprimanded the Attorney General’s office, warning it not to waste the court’s time unnecessarily, after receiving a list of 60 police officers to testify in the case of a prominent psychiatrist and a champion boxer charged with producing fake medical certificates.
Criminal proceedings against boxer Scott Dixon and psychiatrist Mark Xuereb continued. The pair stand accused of presenting a series of fake medical certificates to justify breaching bail conditions.
The AG had presented a list of 60 officers working at St Julian’s police station between February 1, 2023, and May 2, 2024, to testify whether they had received medical certificates from Dixon.
Dixon, who has been out on bail over a 2009 cannabis haul, had failed to sign the bail book for some time. He had been granted bail against a €15,000 deposit and a €25,000 personal guarantee.
Both accused deny the charges.
At the end of the sitting, the court observed that in the AG’s demand to hear further witnesses in the proceedings, the court would have to listen to some 60 witnesses, most of whom would probably testify that they never received such a certificate.
The court was surprised by the lack of time management shown by the prosecution, it said, remarking that such evidence could be brought forward by summoning those witnesses who received a medical certificate instead of summoning all of them.
It then solicited the AG not to waste the court’s time unnecessarily and not breach the accused’s rights to a fair hearing within a reasonable time by prolonging the proceedings unnecessarily.
Lawyer Matthew Xuereb, assisting the psychiatrist, reserved his client’s rights to raise fair trial issues at a later stage.
A copy of the minutes of the sitting was sent to Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg.
Magistrate Leonard Caruana presided.
Police inspector Darryl Farr prosecuted.
Lawyer Matthew Xuereb appeared for Mark Xuereb.
Lawyers Franco Debono and Anthea Bonnici Zammit appeared for Dixon.