Sciortino brothers plead guilty to threatening magistrate, police officers
Defence points at 'sensitive period' for the family after Roderick Sciortino's death found unrelated to poolside brawl
Two men admitted to threatening a magistrate and two police officers during a tense court sitting after a court expert confirmed that their brother had died from a brain aneurysm and not from any injury incurred in a poolside altercation.
Horace and Nick Sciortino were granted bail after they pleaded guilty to threatening Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech and two police officers during Wednesday’s court sitting, in which British national Liam Joseph Stacey was facing charges of causing grievous bodily harm to their brother Roderick Sciortino during a poolside brawl at DB Seabank Hotel in July. Stacey denies the charges.
A medico-legal expert testified that Roderick Sciortino had sustained no injuries that caused his death during that incident but he had died from a ruptured brain aneurysm unrelated to the incident.
Following this revelation, the court sitting got heated and the two accused were kicked out of the courtroom when one of them said, “My brother is dead, not your son”.
One of the men then re-entered the courtroom and said “F** justice” in Maltese.
Besides the two men, Roderick Sciortino’s father, Paul, was fined for filming inside the courtroom. Once he was also eventually kicked out, the three allegedly turned on Stacey, shouting “you killed Roderick, you pufta”.
Inspector Gabriel Micallef and Jeffrey Rizzo asked for a suspended sentence and a protection order in favour of the magistrate and the police officers.
Defence lawyer Amadeus Cachia pointed out that they have already apologised for their actions and asked the court to understand the sensitive period this family was going through.
Magistrate Monica Vella granted the accused bail.