A father arrested three days after his two children were violently attacked in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq appeared in court on Thursday afternoon, where he was charged with several serious offences linked to the incident.
The 49-year-old man, whose identity cannot be published following a court order, pleaded not guilty to all charges. The court also upheld a ban on the publication of the names of the alleged victims and their mother. He was remanded in custody.
The man is accused of attempted murder of both children, causing grievous injuries to his daughter, and holding his children against their will.
The incident took place on Saturday night near the White Rocks complex, where the father allegedly became violent while with his children. A 12-year-old boy was later found with severe head injuries and remains in the intensive treatment unit at Mater Dei Hospital, while his 10-year-old sister, who managed to escape, has since been discharged from hospital.
In court, Inspector Kurt Zahra Colombo explained that police were alerted after a woman found the young girl asking for help along the Coast Road in St Julian’s at around 10.15pm on March 7. The child told officers that her father had tried to strangle her and had killed her brother before she managed to flee.
Police accompanied the girl to the area she indicated near White Rocks, where they discovered the boy lying in a pool of blood after suffering several blows to the head. Paramedics were called immediately and the child was taken to hospital in a life-threatening condition.
Investigators later learned that the parents were undergoing separation proceedings. The mother had reportedly received a phone call from the accused telling her in Italian to “take the daughter.” The man also contacted a flatmate and reportedly asked him to use money in their apartment for his funeral, raising concerns that he posed a danger to himself.
A search operation involving the police, Civil Protection Department, and the Armed Forces of Malta was launched in the area. The man’s van was found nearby with a rope and noose inside, while his mobile phone was located close to nearby caravans.
The suspect was eventually spotted on March 10 at around 6.40pm by a police sergeant during patrols in the area. He appeared injured and was limping when officers approached him. After confirming his identity, he was arrested and taken to Mater Dei Hospital, where he was treated for injuries consistent with a fall, including four to five broken ribs.
Police told the court that the man had apparently attempted suicide, trying to strangle himself and later jumping toward the rocks, where he ended up in the sea.
After his arrest, the accused reportedly indicated he wanted to cooperate with investigators and initially declined legal assistance. He also informed police about a note left in the caravan where he had been staying. In the note, he reportedly described the events, apologised for what had happened to his son and referred to family difficulties following the separation.
According to police testimony, the accused was described as having a good relationship with his children, although his relationship with his wife had become tense in recent months.
The defence did not request bail at this stage.
A request for the case to be heard behind closed doors was also rejected by the court, which ruled that criminal proceedings should remain public given the nature of the charges.
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