Judge hits panic button after fight breaks out in courtroom with no security

Updated 6.44pm with Court Services Agency comments

A judge has called for increased security at the law courts after he was forced to use a panic button when a fight broke out in his courtroom on Wednesday.

It took security approximately five minutes to arrive, by which time the victim was bleeding profusely from the face after being punched and kicked in an attack that lasted about two minutes.

Mr Justice Francesco Depasquale, who presided over the sitting, urged the authorities to improve courtroom security. He made the comments in the procès-verbal (written records of the proceedings).

The incident occurred around 11.30am during a civil court session. The case involved a warrant of prohibitory injunction filed by Shamison Zammit against Marlo and Chantal Mifsud. The case revolved around access to a boathouse.

During the hearing, while the lawyers were making their submissions, Zammit began insulting the Mifsuds. He then crossed the courtroom and violently attacked Marlo Mifsud, punching and kicking him in the face, causing significant facial bleeding, the judge noted.

Five minutes for security to arrive

The court immediately pressed a panic button to call for assistance. However, security arrived only five minutes later - after relatives had already intervened to break up the altercation, which had lasted approximately two minutes. There was no security presence in the courtroom at the time of the incident.

Mr Justice Depasquale urged the authorities to ensure that such incidents do not recur by deploying trained security officers in courtrooms.

Meanwhile, the judge turned down Zammit’s request for the warrant against the Mifsuds to be issued and held him in contempt of court, sentencing him to two days of imprisonment.

The judge also ordered that the police be informed to initiate criminal proceedings against Zammit for assaulting Mifsud.

Depasquale noted that he has been raising concerns about the lack of adequate security at the law courts for years. Sources said that the Court Services Authority was currently working on a plan to beef up security. Questions were sent to the agency asking for more details.

On Wednesday, the police issued a statement about the fight and said they are investigating.

'Immediate actions being taken'

Court Services Agency CEO Vanessa Grech told Times of Malta that "Immediate short-term actions are being implemented, an appropriate security review will be undertaken and further decisions will be made regarding long-term measures" to increase security at court. 

"These efforts aim to minimise as far as possible, the risk of similar incidents occurring in the future", she said. 

Grech noted that discussions on security were "already ongoing" with the Judiciary Association prior to the incident. She stressed the CSA treated court security with "utmost seriousness".