A teenage girl at the centre of a violent episode wherein a family man allegedly threatened to shoot her and two other minor relatives on Easter Sunday sent a hand-delivered note to her father the day he walked out of jail on bail. 

That note was handed over by the 15-year-old girl herself to one of her foster father’s workmates who turned up at the family’s Għargħur home, to transport her father’s clothes and other personal belongings to his new address. 

The 37-year-old man, whose name was banned from publication by the court, was granted bail after his estranged wife, fostered daughter and another minor cousin, all present when family tensions bubbled over, had testified. 

The couple is currently undergoing personal separation proceedings.

That evening, after forcing his wife out of the house following a heated row, the man ordered her back, allegedly threatening to shoot their fostered daughter, their 10-year-old autistic daughter and a 15-year old cousin, unless she did so. 

The teenage girl later testified that she used to get along well with her foster father, but their relationship grew troubled ever since she had discovered the identity of her natural father. 

And that Easter Sunday incident was allegedly triggered by the fact that the girl had insisted with her mother that she wished to spend some time with the man she believed to be her natural father.

The incident landed her foster father under arrest, facing charges for allegedly holding the minors against their will, threatening and assaulting his estranged wife, slightly injuring one of the girls, carrying a firearm while committing the crime and causing his victims to fear violence. 

On Thursday, a work colleague of the father testified how the accused’s wife, her mother and foster daughter had handed over the man’s clothes and other possessions, all packed in boxes, to be transported to his new address. 

When the task was almost done, the girl handed him over three picture frames, one of them bearing an image of herself with the accused. 

“Please give these to my father,” she told the man.

Then just as he was about to turn away, the girl shouted, “wait, wait”.

She rushed upstairs and soon came back.

“It’s important that you hand this to him personally,” she instructed, handing over an unsealed white envelope inside which was a letter to her father. 

“Pa I know you’re angry at me…,” read the note, said the witness, who explained that he was aware of the contents of that mail.

He had handed it over to the accused that same day.

On Thursday, the witness was shown the letter in court, confirming it was the same document.

It was then handed over to presiding Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo who read it silently, then declared that it was being included in the records of the case. 

The case continues in July.

Inspector John Spiteri prosecuted. Lawyers Jacob Magri, Rebecca Mercieca and Francesca Zarb assisted the accused.