Officer testifies on Gozo warden attack

A Gozo local warden was attacked by two men when he told them he could not withdraw the ticket issued against them and suggested, instead, that they contest it before the local tribunal, a court heard yesterday.

Police Sergeant Frank Gauci testified before Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera in the compilation of evidence against Fredrick Agius, 31, his 21-year-old brother Frankie, and his wife Caroline, 33, all of Luqa.

The two men are pleading not guilty to having attacked and caused slight injuries to warden Paul Attard and authorised officer Ina Zammit on August 26.

Caroline Agius is charged with having broken the public order by uttering indecent words and swearing.

Magistrate Scerri Herrera heard how PS Gauci arrived at the local wardens' office in Victoria after the police had received a report that there was a fight in the premises. On his arrival he saw the three accused, accompanied by a six-year old child, outside the office.

Attard informed him that earlier that day he had issued a parking ticket against a car belonging to one of the accused, for not showing the parking meter, as requested, in the area in which it was parked.

Later, the accused went to the local wardens' office to protest about this ticket and they insisted that the warden should withdraw it. When the warden informed them he was not in a position to do so and suggested they contest the ticket before the local tribunal, the alleged fight broke out, the officer said.

Zammit called the police when she heard the commotion outside her office and later fled down the stairs when she herself was attacked by the accused.