Yana Mintoff Bland's ex-partner suffered more serious injuries than her, court is told

A doctor has testified that Yana Mintoff Bland's ex-partner was more seriously injured than the woman he is accused of stabbing.  

This emerged as the compilation of evidence against Romanian man Gheorghe Popa, continued today.

Popa 39, the former partner of Yana Mintoff Bland, is accused of detaining Mintoff Bland against her will, attempting to grievously injure her, slightly injuring her and her son with a bladed instrument, carrying a weapon during the commission of a crime against the person, carrying a knife in public without a police licence, attacking Mintoff Bland and her son with a knife and making verbal threats on 25 October last year.

Popa is also accused of harassing the woman, causing her to fear he would use violence against her in the months leading up to the stabbing, arson and causing criminal damage.

In previous sittings, the court was told that Popa had set fire to the house after stabbing Mintoff in a jealous rage.

Magistrate Joseph Mifsud will be conducting a site visit at the Tarxien villa built by former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff as part of the investigation.

Despite the charges, however, it was the Romanian who was most seriously injured in the incident, according to the testimony given this morning by the doctor who treated him upon his admission to hospital.

Dr Chris Giordmaina, who had been on duty at the Mater Dei emergency department on the night of the incident, told the court that Popa had been found to be suffering from four stab wounds.

The doctor explained how he had examined Popa at around 1:15am that day, describing the man as being in a state of shock and in clear pain. 

The man was found to have been stabbed four times, he said, and his blood pressure was perilously low due to massive blood loss.

Inspector Spiridione Zammit asked the witness whether he recognised the accused in court, but the doctor replied that this was difficult as the patient's face had been partially covered during the intervention. Critical patients are sedated and artificially respirated through a tube inserted via their nasal passageways, he said.

Magistrate Mifsud was then told the results of the medical examination carried out on Mintoff Bland, who had also been admitted to hospital for treatment.

In addition to a cut on her wrist, Mintoff Bland was certified as having suffered a stab wound to her left chest, which did not penetrate the thoracic cavity, he said.



The case continues.

Lawyer Benjamin Valenzia appeared for Popa.

Lawyer Joseph Giglio is appearing parte civile for Mintoff Bland.