The nurses' union has ordered its members who work at Mount Carmel Hospital to abandon the ward they are in if Abner Aquilina, the man charged with the rape and murder of Paulina Dembska in 2022, is moved there.

They will also not accompany him anywhere - neither to Mater Dei nor court sittings - unless he is escorted by two police officers or two prison guards.

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses issued the directives after demanding round-the-clock prison security around Aquilina while he is being treated at Mount Carmel. 

Aquilina is pleading not guilty to murdering the 29-year-old student, and his lawyers are seeking to have him declared insane.

Paulina Dembska was murdered in January 2022. Photo: Facebook

Magistrate Marse-Ann Farrugia had upheld a request by the defence in pre-trial proceedings for Aquilina to be sent back to a regular ward at Mount Carmel Hospital as originally decreed by the court last year.

On Friday morning, the MUMN said it was clear that Mount Carmel Management had failed to provide the required security measures.

Apart from its security demands, the union had also asked for all patients to be removed from the Multi-Purpose Unit ward to ensure Aquilina is not a threat to them.

"It is a great pity that the court completely ignored the testimony of MCH CEO Stephanie Xuereb, who said the hospital has no facilities to cater for such highly violent people," the union said in a statement.

"The Forensic Unit has the proper facilities. It was purposely built for such patients, something the court failed to recognise."

The union also ordered nurses working at the MPU to refuse to assist Aquilina from being released from his room under any circumstances.

It insisted Aquilina should be guarded by police officers or prison guards, saying that the hospital security personnel were neither properly equipped nor had the authority to handle patients.