Jurors clear man of attempted murder

Jurors in the trial of a man charged with attempted murder yesterday found him not guilty by seven votes to two.

After four hours of deliberations the jurors cleared Jesmond Cassar of trying to kill Noel Abela by trying to shoot him but found him guilty of causing Abela to suffer injuries of a slight nature when he pointed a gun at him and frightened him in Birzebbuga on July 11, 2000.

Jurors unanimously found 30-year-old Cassar guilty of the possession of a firearm without a licence after he admitted to the charge on Tuesday.

During submissions on punishment Joseph Brincat, for Cassar, explained that his client was essentially a good person who, however, allowed others to lead him astray.

He said that had Cassar been charged with slight injuries he would have admitted to the charges in the Magistrates' Court but, as it was, the case ended up in trial because he was charged with attempted murder.

The defence counsel added that the Magistrates' Court usually handed down a fine and confiscated the weapon in such cases and he believed there should be a continuity of judgment.

Assistant Attorney General Anthony Barbara prosecuting said that, as evidence showed, the case contained an element of danger.

He agreed that the court should take the gravity of the incident and the time Cassar spent in preventive custody into consideration on handing down judgment.

Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono put off the case to this morning for judgment.