Paschalino Cefai charged over sickle attack on nephew in Gozo

Cefai charged with causing slight injury to the nephew, threatening him and causing him to fear violence against him

(File Photo)
(File Photo)

The Gozo Court was opened at 9pm on Tuesday night for the urgent arraignment of Paschalino Cefai, who was charged with slightly injuring his nephew, whom he allegedly attacked with a sickle earlier that day.

Yesterday, Inspector Bernard Charles Spiteri, arraigned Cefai, 42, of Zebbug, Gozo, before magistrate Simone Grech. He was charged with causing slight injury to the nephew, threatening him and causing him to fear violence against him.

Cefai was also accused of failing to abide by bail conditions handed down by the Criminal Court and recidivism.

The inspector explained that the accused had been involved in a family argument which ended up with Cefai wounding his nephew in the hand with a scythe. Spiteri added that Cefai had also caused voluntary damage to a car belonging to the victim’s mother, who however did not want to press charges.

A protection order in favour of the nephew was requested by the prosecution and upheld by the court.

Defence lawyer Franco Debono asked for bail, arguing the dispute was between family members and said he hoped the parties would reconcile and shake hands during these proceedings.

The lawyer added that the accused was prepared to obey all bail conditions imposed by the court.

Magistrate Grech granted bail to Cefai against a €1,000 deposit and a personal guarantee of €7,000, imposing a curfew and ordering him to sign a bail book three times a week.

Cefai is no stranger to the criminal justice system, having been sentenced to seven years jail, confirmed on appeal in 2015, for stabbing Josef Portelli in a Gozo courtroom. In that case he had been convicted of grievous bodily harm but acquitted of attempted murder.

In 2016, Cefai’s was jailed for an additional two years and four months over his 2014 attempt to attack a magistrate in her courtroom, when she had proceeded to hear evidence in a case over an unpaid debt despite his lawyer having failed to attend as he was caught up in another sitting.

Cefai had been convicted of threatening and insulting magistrate (now judge) Miriam Hayman, disobeying police orders, resisting and attacking several officials, injuring a constable, breaching the peace and swearing in public.