Man goes on trial in connection with 2005 burglary which left elderly woman grievously injured

The Criminal Court has been told how an elderly woman had suffered head and knee injuries during a burglary at her home in 2005 as the trial of her alleged assailant began on Monday.

35-year-old Keith Cremona has gone on trial before Madam Justice Consuelo Scerri Herrera, accused of having broken into a residence in St. Julians and held its elderly occupant against her will, grievously injuring her in the process. Reports from the time say that Lm200 (€465) had been stolen by the gang of three robbers.

Cremona, who was just 17 years old at the time of the burglary, is indicted for theft aggravated by violence, value and place, as well as illegally detaining the woman against her will and inflicting grievous injury.

Among the witnesses who testified today was medico-legal expert Dr. Mario Scerri u and emergency medicine consultant Jonathan Joslin. 

Joslin told the judge, who is presiding over the trial in which the defendant opted to be heard without a jury, that the woman had suffered grievous injuries to her head and a dislocated shoulder during the break-in, as a result of blows inflicted with a cordless phone.

Cremona is also facing separate proceedings in which he is accused of damaging a police car and three motorcycles, as well as slightly injuring two men and dangerous driving, after allegedly leading police on a car chase in Marsa, two years ago.

Prosecutors Kevin Valletta and Ramon Bonett are representing the Office of the Attorney General. Lawyers Arthur Azzopardi, David Gatt and Ishmael Psaila are assisting the defendant.