Qormi man charged with attempted murder

Marco Pace, known as Il-Pinzell, was charged early this morning with the attempted murder of a police sergeant during the Qormi stand-off that took place on Tuesday night.

The large iron gates of the law courts groaned loudly when the building was opened with urgency at 11.30 p.m. Soon after Pace, who looked weak, was escorted inside by two police officers who helped him onto a bench where he lay until his lawyer, Dr Emmanuel Mallia, went to speak to him.

At 12.15 a.m. the prosecution and the defence, escorted by at least six police officers, made their way into the court room.

Pace, 35, of Qormi, slouched in his chair and slurred in reply to questions put to him by the court. With the assistance of his lawyer he pleaded not guilty to using a firearm to damage Emanuel Gatt's car and the front door of the house of Anthony and Giovanna Pace, his parents, on Tuesday afternoon.

He also pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of PS George Farrugia by firing a gun in his direction, threatening and assaulting police officers, holding several people against their will and the possession of a firearm at the time of the crime and without a licence.

He was also charged with damaging a wash hand basin at the Floriana lock-up on Wednesday night and relapsing.

At the end of the arraignment Magistrate Antonio Mizzi ordered that Pace be taken to St Luke's Hospital to be examined and given the necessary medical treatment.

Police Inspectors Chris Pullicino, Jeffrey Cilia and Maria Stella Cutajar prosecuted.