John Paul Woods confessed to murdering Charlene Farrugia from his hospital bed, court told

Whilst in hospital last July, 40-year-old John Paul Woods said he wanted to speak to a police officer to confess to the murder of Charlene Farrugia, 12 years prior, a court has been told.

Magistrate Marseanne Farrugia presided as the compilation of evidence against Woods continued this morning. Woods is accused of murdering Farrugia and hiding her body in the Valletta bastions.

The police officer who had been on duty at Mater Dei Hospital on the day of Woods’ confession told the court that he had called up Inspector Jonathan Ransley to inform him of the development.

Psychiatric consultant Maria Bezzina Xuereb also testified, having been asked to examine Woods before he spoke to the police. She had given permission, saying that Woods had been worried about his family and had some form of anxiety but was capable of giving a statement to the police.

Cross-examined by lawyer Roberta Bonello, appearing for the accused, the witness said the man was anxious but had not asked him about that which he wanted to tell the police. At one point he had started to cry, she added. Woods had been undergoing psychiatric treatment at the time, she said.

An ex-partner of the accused also testified. Her lawyers, Ishmael Psaila and Sean Zammit asked the court to ban the publication of her name.

The woman told the court that after some time in a relationship with him, he had started acting strangely and she had discovered that he was using drugs.

He had told her that he had a difficult past and had admitted to using drugs. Woods had gone to rehab, leaving in February 2011, but had started using drugs again and the woman said that she had no further sympathy for his plight and broke up with him.

Despite this, Woods had continued to pursue her and had threatened her on one occasion.

Lawyer Roberta Bonello is appearing for Woods, whilst lawyer Mario Mifsud is appearing parte civile for the family of the victim. Inspectors James Grech and Jonathan Ransley are prosecuting. 

The case continues on September 22.