A 43-year-old man was charged with the attempted murder of his two step-daughters on Tuesday.

Nazzareno Dalli, known as Ronald, was arraigned in front of Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo to face charges after he allegedly stabbed the 12 and 15-year-old girls in a home in Triq San Tumas in Marsa on Saturday.

He was also charged with attacking the girls, causing them grievous bodily harm and holding them against their will. Dalli was also accused of carrying a sharp and pointed object without a license, drug possession, illegally working as a private guard and recidivism.

In a terse court sitting, Dalli pleaded not guilty to the charges. He did not request bail.

The 12-year-old child he is alleged to have attacked suffered multiple stab wounds and was critically wounded. The other, aged 15, was injured on her hands. A 14-year-old boy who was also present at the time was not injured but was later treated for shock. 

Sources said the mother was not at home at the time. 

The suspect fled from the scene before police arrived but was apprehended shortly afterwards in Cospicua.

It is unclear whether Dalli and the woman were still in a relationship at the time of the attack. 

Dalli was originally due to be arraigned on Monday but prosecutors had to postpone the court hearing after the accused complained of chest pains and was taken to Mater Dei Hospital. 

The Cospicua man is known to police: in 2020 he and his five brothers all ended up in court following a major brawl between two families. 

Attorney General lawyers Etienne Savona and Manuel Grech led the prosecution, together with Police Inspectors Ian Vella and Wayne Camilleri. 

Lawyers Arthur Azzopardi, Nicholas Mifsud and Franco Debono appeared for Dalli.