Mosta cat killer case postponed after court expert fails to meet accused

Magistrate postpones 'Mosta cat killer' case after court expert fails to contact accused and no witnesses summoned by the prosecution

Nicholas Grech, charged with having crucified dead animals and vilifying the Catholic religion, is taken into custody. Photo: Chris Mangion
Nicholas Grech, charged with having crucified dead animals and vilifying the Catholic religion, is taken into custody. Photo: Chris Mangion

While the media reported that the compilation of the 'Mosta Cat Killer' was set to start today, this morning the prosecution informed the court that no witnesses had been summoned and that the court-appointed psychiatric expert had not yet spoken to the accused.

Magistrate Carol Peralta expressed his bewilderment at how the court expert had not found time to communicate with the 37-year-ol Nicholas Grech over the last 10 days.

In the previous sitting, Grech was remanded in custody awaiting the expert's report on his psychological state.

He stands accused with the killing of various cats and dogs which were found crucified in different areas of Mosta, however he has denied that he killed any animal.

Grech is also accused with animal cruelty, violation of burial grounds, trespassing on religious grounds, forcing entry into the Mosta Parish church and l-Isperanza Chapel and slandering the Catholic religion.

When the man was arraigned on 20 March, the prosecution and defence said the accused was under psychiatric treatment and the court appointed psychiatrist George Debono to draw a report regarding Grech’s mental state.

However when the court was called to hear the compilation of evidence against, the magistrate was informed by defence lawyer Martin Fenech that the court appointed psychiatrist George Debono, had not even visited the accused at the Forensic Ward, and the report demanded by the court was no where near being concluded.

“Such situations are unreasonable when one remembers that a man has been kept in preventive custody for ten days, pending such a report”, the court said.

Magistrate Peralta got further irritated when prosecution officer Edmund Cuschieri said that neither Dr Debono nor any other witness had been summoned for today’s sitting as the prosecuting inspector was not aware that the case was scheduled for today.

“It amazes me how the media reported that the compilation of evidence starts today, yet the prosecution was oblivious to this”, the Magistrate said in disbelief.

The case was postponed to 30 April.