Woman, 70, dragged by her hair and struck multiple times by son, court hears
Police officer injured during a struggle to make an arrest
A 70-year old woman was dragged across the floor, hit several times and threatened with a knife by her son as he demanded cash for drugs, a court heard on Monday.
The alleged incident happened on Saturday.
The accused, Mario Zammit appeared before Magistrate Astrid May Grima facing a string of charges including causing his mother to fear violence, causing damage to her property, threatening and slightly injuring her, disobeying police orders, and being a repeat offender.
The prosecution said that Zammit, who struggles with drug addiction, allegedly demanded €30 from his mother. The elderly pensioner refused, telling him "I am fed up with giving you money. I am a pensioner and I have nothing left to give you."
The refusal triggered a violent outburst and Zammit grabbed his mother by her hair, dragged her across the floor and struck her multiple times on her arm, neck, and back.
He then brandished a knife, threatening her that if she called the police, they would find him "in a pool of blood" by the time they arrived.
Smashed furniture, shattered glass
When police officers arrived at the residence, they found that furniture had been smashed, appliances including a microwave were damaged, and the glass panels of a wall unit were shattered.
Zammit was taken to hospital for medical attention. However, he signed himself out against medical advice and left. Before fleeing the hospital, Zammit allegedly phoned his mother, threatening to burn her house down as retribution for speaking to the authorities.
Discovering that the accused had absconded from the hospital, police officers went back to the mother’s home, where they found Zammit had returned.
Suspect flees hospitals, threatens to burn down his home
The situation rapidly escalated when officers attempted to arrest him. Zammit allegedly grabbed a knife and attempted to slit his own wrist. An officer managed to grab his wrist while another wrestled the weapon away, injuring his own finger during the struggle.
While resisting arrest, Zammit threatened the officers, warning them that he would not forget their faces, the court heard.
He warned that if he was imprisoned, he would hang himself and leave a suicide note holding the officers legally responsible.
As police scrambled to clear dangerous objects from his reach, Zammit grabbed a blue glass bowl and smashed it against his own head. The shattering glass and blood covered the responding officers.
Police reinforcements were called and RIU officers managed to restrain and handcuff the man.
Bail wasn’t requested by the defence, given that the accused resides at the same address as the victim.
The prosecution was led by inspector Audrey Micallef. Legal aid lawyer Alexia Vassallo represented the accused. Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri appeared for the elderly mother.