Seabank brawl: Man in intensive care from 'brain tumour', not punch, court hears

An alleged victim of a poolside brawl at the Seabank Resort and Spa is in intensive care, but due to a pre-existing medical condition and not a punch he allegedly received during the fight, a court has heard.

The court also heard hotel staff recounting how three men allegedly attacked British tourist Liam Joseph Stacey, who stands accused of causing grievous injuries to Roderick Sciortino. He denies the charges.

A lengthy sitting took place on Wednesday afternoon that saw relatives, police officers and Seabank hotel staff take the witness stand. A police officer told they were called to a fight involving up to 50 people. 

Sciortino’s partner Alexia Meilak, her siblings and their partners, who were at the hotel for the first-year birthday party of Sciortino and his partner’s daughter, took the witness stand on Wednesday afternoon.

All members testifying on Wednesday informed the court that they did not speak English and testified in Maltese.

During the sitting it transpired that Sciortino is in critical condition due to pre-existing health conditions. Further information on his condition is expected in a future court hearing.

Woman ‘does not remember’ having hair pulled

Maria Meilak, Alexia Meilak’s sisters said an argument broke out between Stacey and Sciortino while they were sitting on deckchairs near the pool. Sciortino climbed over the planters and asked Stacey “what are you saying?” in Maltese before the latter punched him, she said.

Meilak said her partner, Jesmond Portelli – the man in the red swimming trunks visible in the video – jumped over the plant “to see what had happened” and was punched by Stacey three times.

She added that her sister’s partner had tried to separate Stacey and Portelli but instead was punched.

Asked whether her boyfriend dragged her around by her hair, as heard in the testimony of British police officer Tania Cook, the woman said: “I do not remember”.

The court warned against perjuring herself, with Meilak replying: “I don’t remember he grabbed me from my hair. Maybe it was because he was drunk [“Jien ma niftakarx li qabadni minn xagħri forsi għax kien b’xi drink”].”

Pressed on why the argument broke out, the woman insisted she was in a conversation with her siblings and had only heard “noise”. The court reminded her that there was footage of the incident.

Asked if someone fainted, the woman said one of her sisters suffers from epileptic fits.

‘Brain tumour’

Prosecutor Kevin Valletta asked whether the barman had stopped them from smoking by the pool, with the woman saying she did not remember. The woman added that she was not asked to stop smoking and denied they were rowdy.

“I cannot tell you; ask Roderick because he is in hospital being kept alive on machines,” Meilak said, when pressed as to why they argued, insisting that she did not know what triggered it.

“Roderick was unwell. He used to say he had a brain tumour,” the woman added.

Under cross-examination, the woman said she did not remove third parties’ items from sunbeds and insisted she was in the pool when asked if other guests had told them to shut up.

Eventually the woman conceded that Portelli had thrown a deckchair – hitting Meilak’s sister - and a table.

Asked where Stacey went, she replied he could have left, adding she did not see Portelli running after him. She also saw the police handcuffing her boyfriend.

'I do not know why a foreigner wants to interfere' 

Up next was her boyfriend, Portelli, who had been previously seen trying to eavesdrop before the court intervened and closed the doors.

The man insisted that “Roderick and Liam argued” and that Alexia Meliak [Sciortino’s partner] remarked, “Roderick fell flat to the ground”.

“I ran to him and went on the plant. I got punched three times but got up every time... Roderick was sick, but perhaps he had a few days to live on,” the man said, adding that he is clearly visible in the video, as the man with the red swimsuit.

“He [Stacey] felt good about himself because he knows how to fight. He caused his [Sciortino’s] death,” Portelli said, as he was cut short.

The witness claimed that he was “knocked out twice” and threw the deckchair in the heat of the moment. The man acknowledged that the barman had stopped Sciortino from smoking next to the pool.

Portelli denied pulling his girlfriend’s hair, but added: “Let’s say it’s the case, there was no need to bring third parties into it.”

Asked about the noise, Portelli said that there were many of them, and “if each said a word it would amount to noise.”

Portelli said he followed Stacey to the reception and asked him “why did you do this to me?”

Portelli denied removing other people’s things to get a sunbed.

Asked whether other people asked them to stay quiet, the man replied: “I do not know why he told me to stay quiet. I do not know why a foreigner wants to interfere with our things. I did not go there to fight".

He denied pushing over a woman.

Similarly, the witness confirmed that Sciortino had a brain tumour.

Maltese group: Victim health ‘not the best’

Malcolm Meilak, Sciortino’s partner’s brother, said he did not witness how the fight began but saw Sciortino approach Stacey, jump over a planter, and then get punched, falling unconscious.

Asked about the victim’s health, Meilak said it was “not the best.” He was unaware of any domestic abuse cases involving Sciortino, though the court noted charges had been filed earlier that year.

Alexia Meilak, Sciortino’s partner, cried on the stand. She said she could not recall who started the fight.

She acknowledged the group had been noisy, that guests told them to quiet down, and that “the party ended in tragedy.” She confirmed dropping previous domestic violence charges against Sciortino.

Another relative, Christabelle Meilak, said she was in the pool when she heard screaming and saw Sciortino on the ground. She confirmed the group had been drinking and was refused service by the barman.

Her partner, Christian Fucile, said he saw Sciortino punched and tried to intervene but was hit too.

Hotel staff testimony

Hotel staff gave a different version of events: Assistant manager Ray Bonanno said he saw “three Maltese attacking an English guest” during a 15-second commotion.

Staff had received multiple complaints about the group’s loud behaviour, and earlier that day, Sciortino had threatened to throw an employee into the pool when asked to calm down, he said.

The food and beverage manager testified that Sciortino struck Stacey first after stepping onto planters and confronting him. He said the family threw items after the altercation.

A receptionist confirmed the food and beverage manager’s account and said Portelli pushed a guest and baby to the ground while chasing Stacey.

Police testimony

Police inspectors Warren Galea and Bradley Grima testified. From the investigation it emerged that a group of Maltese individuals had been drinking, with many other patrons requesting the hotel kick them out.

It also emerged that Stacey had asked Meliak’s to stop shouting and cursing in public since he had three young children with him.

Police said Stacey was arrested in his room, shocked and tearful. Witnesses described up to 50 people involved in the commotion. Officers confirmed that Portelli initially refused to give his details but was released after calming down.

At the end of Wednesday’s sitting, the court ruled that there was enough evidence for the case to proceed against Stacey.

It also upheld a request for Stacey to be able to travel back to the UK against a €1,000 deposit and a €5,000 personal guarantee.

The case continues on September 10.

Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech presided over the court.

The prosecution was led by AG lawyer Brandon Bonnici and Kevin Valletta, assisted by Inspectors Clayton Camilleri and Bradley Grima.

Lawyer Stefano Filletti assisted the accused.