Man accused of attempted murder of ex-partner’s daughters released on bail after conditions are eased

A man accused of trying to kill his ex-partner’s daughters almost 10 months ago has been released from custody after the court agreed to reduce the bail conditions required for his release.

The decision was made after a woman, who began a relationship with the accused three months ago, stepped forward as a third-party guarantor, offering a €10,000 deposit to secure his bail. 

Nazzareno Dalli, 43, stands accused of attacking his ex-partner’s daughters, aged 12 and 15, in a brutal assault on 9 March 2024. The younger girl, stabbed 16 times, lost 40% of her blood but miraculously survived. Her older sister escaped with minor injuries after evading the assailant and hiding on the roof until police arrived. 

The girls identified the attacker as “Ronald,” their mother’s ex-partner, Dalli. During his interrogation, Dalli claimed to have no memory of the incident, stating that he had consumed alcohol and drugs the night before while out with friends. 

In October, the Magistrates’ Court granted bail after hearing that Dalli had shown “significant improvement” while in custody. However, stringent conditions were imposed, including a €10,000 personal deposit, a curfew, twice-weekly signing of the bail book, and a €20,000 deposit from a third-party guarantor. 

Although bail was approved, Dalli remained in preventive custody as he was unable to meet the guarantor requirement. His financial difficulties and lack of family support prevented him from finding someone able to deposit the required sum. 

Last month, Dalli’s lawyers requested the court to revise the bail conditions, asking for the €20,000 guarantor deposit to be reduced. The Attorney General opposed the application, citing the severity of the charges and the accused’s past behaviour.  

During a hearing on 3 December 2024, a woman testified that she had started a relationship with Dalli three months earlier and was willing to act as a guarantor. She explained that her father had given her €10,000, which she was prepared to deposit in court to secure Dalli’s release. 

After considering the testimony, Judge Consuelo Scerri Herrera reduced the guarantor deposit to €10,000 while keeping all other bail conditions intact. 

In her ruling, the judge noted that bail conditions must reflect the accused’s financial and social circumstances to ensure equal treatment under the law. The system, she said, was designed to provide all defendants, regardless of wealth, with the same opportunities and responsibilities. 

The court reiterated that bail guarantees serve to remind defendants that breaching conditions could result in the forfeiture of both their freedom and their valuables. 

Dalli had been in custody for nearly 10 months and lacked the means to meet the original bail requirements, despite being employed. While he had no issue with the €10,000 personal deposit, securing the additional €20,000 from a third party was beyond his reach.

With the revised conditions, Dalli has been released on bail pending final judgment. 

The prosecution is led by lawyers Etienne Savona and Manuel Grech.

Dalli is represented by Franco Debono, Arthur Azzopardi, Mario Mifsud, Jacob Magri, and Nicholas Mifsud.