A young Briton who was stabbed in Tigne' last year showed police a Facebook picture of his alleged aggressor, a court has heard.

The photo was of Hisham Ali Abuagilla, a 38-year old Libyan who now stands accused of attempted murder.

The stabbing took place at around 5.20 am on August 6 in the area of Tigne’ Point when the 21-year old victim and his friends met up with Abuagilla following a night out at Paceville.

One of the victim’s friends moved the  Abuagilla's bag while looking for a misplaced mobile phone and that action allegedly angered him, triggering a scuffle.

That was when the English man was allegedly stabbed in the chest, neck, back and face.

He was rushed to hospital in an ambulance while the suspected aggressor fled the scene.

It took investigators over a week to track  Abuagilla and arrest him at Qui Si Sana seafront. 

He was subsequently charged with attempted murder and grievous bodily harm, as well as unlicensed possession of a knife and breach of peace.

He was also charged with possession of cocaine, ecstasy, cannabis resin and cannabis plant under circumstances indicating that the drugs were not for his own personal use.

The man, who is pleading not guilty, is currently still under preventive custody.

A police constable, Dylan Pace, who was at Mater Dei Hospital on the day of the stabbing, testified that as he lay on a stretcher, attached to a series of tubes, the alleged victim pointed to his phone  then logged into Facebook and showed him a photo of Hisham, signalling that it was his aggressor.

The officer said that as he took hold of the man’s phone, he felt something strange inside the pocket at the back,” said Pace.

That was how he came across a sachet of white substance, suspected of being cocaine.

He immediately contacted the scene of crime officers, alerting them to those items which were to be gathered as exhibits.

Asked whether the alleged victim had told him how he obtained the drug, Pace explained that the man could not speak at the time.

“But when I showed him the sachet, he simply indicated Hisham’s photo on the phone. I could not tell if he had bought it or whether it was simply given to him.”

On August 15, the policeman was on duty at the Sliema station when the wanted suspect was spotted by one of the investigators, inspector Colin Sheldon, who happened to be in the Qui Si Sana area at the time.

Pace and a fellow officer went on site.

The suspect, who appeared to be limping, approached the policemen when they called out and signaled to him.

A personal search yielded a penknife, a mobile phone, keys and a suspicious white substance.

The suspect was read his legal rights, first in English and then in Maltese after the man told police that he understood the language.

He was arrested and led away for questioning.

The case, presided over by Magistrate Doreen Clarke, continues.

AG lawyer Etienne Savona and Inspector Colin Sheldon prosecuted.

Lawyer Noel Bianco is defence counsel.

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