Gozitan warden Fortunata Spiteri was stabbed by a man wearing a carnival mask, specifically the white mask worn by the killer in the teen slasher movie Scream, the Magistrates' Court heard from a police superintendent yesterday.

Spiteri was stabbed repeatedly after she was surrounded by three men on the Gharb road where she was lying in wait for potential traffic miscreants, Supt. Pierre Calleja said.

She struggled to break away and got into her car but only managed to drive a little way before she lost control and reversed into a wall.

And a Gozitan police sergeant told how Spiteri was eventually found by two families driving to the feast of San Lawrenz.

They spied a lit torch lying in the road and then came across the warden sitting still in her car, with blood oozing out of her mouth and her left hand propping up her forehead, PS Anton Schembri said.

The superintendent and the sergeant testified in the compilation of evidence against John Attard, 56, of Xaghra, and Giuseppe Farrugia, 71, of Fontana, who are pleading not guilty to Spiteri's wilful homicide on August 10, 2001, at about 9.45 p.m.

They are also charged with the possession of a dagger without a licence and at the time of the commission of the crime.

Attard alone is also charged with relapsing.

Superintendent Calleja told how Farrugia had released a three-page statement detailing how the killing had taken place, after which John Attard, Benny Attard, who was wearing the mask, Maria Attard, who stayed near the car, and Farrugia drove back home through San Lawrenz, Sta Lucija, Kercem and Victoria before returning to Xaghra.

Superintendent Calleja said he had also gone to the scene of the crime on August 10, where he had found the warden's car on the right side of the road reversed into a wall.

There were signs of a struggle on the other side of the road.

Police Commissioner John Rizzo told how he received fresh information on the murder last August from a person who wished to remain anonymous.

The informer told Mr Rizzo that a certain Benny Attard was behind the murder and that Farrugia, who had lived with him and his sister for a time, was also involved.

The informer said Farrugia had left the Attards some three months previously because he was being beaten.

The commissioner said he spoke to Farrugia who at first denied any involvement in the matter.

But he eventually admitted he knew about the murder and actually went a step further and said he was with the killers on the night of Spiteri's death.

Mr Rizzo said Farrugia, also known as Haxxiex, mentioned the other three as Benny Attard, his sister Maria Attard and John Attard, known as il-Muha.

Farrugia said he was with Benny Attard when they met John Attard who told them he had a job for them and Benny Attard eventually told him that the job was the killing of Spiteri.

On the night of the killing, John Attard went to pick them up in a white car and drove to the road leading to Gharb from Victoria.

Spiteri was standing next to her car and they stopped nearby, got out and surrounded her. Farrugia told police he saw John and Benny Attard laying into Spiteri, saw Benny Attard brandishing a knife but did not remember whether John Attard was carrying a weapon.

Farrugia told police he had stood back but eventually moved towards Spiteri, who spied him and addressed him by his nickname: "You too, Haxxiex?" and he retreated to the car next to Maria Attard.

Farrugia said he eventually saw Spiteri get into the car and reverse into a wall after she struggled to break free of her attackers.

The police commissioner said Farrugia told him Benny Attard had been paid Lm5,000 for his part in the killing. Maria Attard confirmed most of the details given by Farrugia but claimed her brother was only paid Lm200 which he spent on some gold items.

Maria Attard also claimed that Farrugia had taken out a penknife and had put it back only when Spiteri recognised him.

Farrugia eventually admitted he had taken out the penknife he used to eat with but that he had not used it, still had it and handed it over to the police.

Benny Attard consistently denied any involvement and belied the versions given by his sister and Farrugia.

John Attard also started out by denying everything but eventually spoke of his part in the matter and claimed he had only gone in for the killing because he felt threatened by Benny Attard, who was a dangerous man.

He admitted giving Benny Attard money but said he had only given it to him because he had asked for it.

Inspector Antonello Grech told how the mask described by Farrugia was found at Benny Attard's house. He said that August 10, 2001, was the first time Spiteri had gone on night duty on the Gharb road.

He also told how police learnt that Spiteri and John Attard had frequent arguments. Spiteri's husband told police he had been worried because John Attard, a bus driver, always picked arguments with his wife when she told him off for some misdemeanour.

PS Schembri told how he had driven past Spiteri on the Gharb road at about 9.30 p.m. on the night she was killed and saw her standing next to her car.

Some minutes later he heard on the radio that a warden had been involved in an accident and he drove back to the scene to find Spiteri in the car and an off-duty nurse administering cardio-pulmonary resuscitation.

The sergeant said he suspected foul play because he saw signs of a struggle on the other side of the road and eventually went to hospital and asked to see the body, after he learnt that she had been declared dead.

PS Schembri said he saw what were clearly stab wounds on her stomach, chest and hands and informed Inspector Antonello Grech that they were probably dealing with a murder case.

Meanwhile, after the sitting, a storm erupted outside the court room when John Attard was assaulted and refused to be taken down until he knew who had assaulted him.

Police said they would be filing charges against the aggressor.

The case continues on Tuesday.

Police Superintendent Pierre Calleja and Inspector Antonello Grech are prosecuting.

Dr Carmelo Galea and Dr Giannella Caruana Curran are appearing for John Attard, Dr Chris Said for Farrugia while Dr Anton Refalo is representing the Spiteri family.