13 years for Xuereb over attempted murder in 1996 Mid-Med hold-up

A jury has found George Xuereb guilty of involvment in the foiled hold-up on the Mid-Med Bank St Andrew's branch that took place in  1996, this evening.

The decision was announced after a fourteen-hour deliberation. Mr. Justice Michael Mallia retired to his chambers following the verdict and emerged some minutes later to pronounce the sentence of 13 years imprisonment. Xuereb was also orderd to pay the expenses of the trial

In total Xuereb was found guilty of five offences: attempted theft – by eight votes to one, attempted murder - by seven votes to two, theft of a firearm – by eight votes to one, complicity in the theft of a vehicle - by eight votes to one and finally of being in possession of a firearm without licence from the commissioner of police - by eight votes to one.

The verdict came as something of a surprise following what was widely considered to be a weak case by the prosecution, featuring conflicting testimony by prosecution witnesses and little in the way of forensic evidence.

The verdict also brings to a close the 18-year long legal saga following the 1996 robbery. Had it been successful, the heist would have netted the three robbers, Carmel Spiteri, Joseph Polidano and George Xuereb a sum in the region of Lm100,000 (€232,400). Spiteri and Polidano have already been jailed for their part in the robbery, having admitted to the charges - a fact that the prosecution pointed out today in their submissions on punishment.

Xuereb's lawyer Raphael Fenech Adami asked the court to consider the lapse of time in sentencing. Lara Lanfranco for the prosecution, raised the fact that Xuereb had, in the intervening years since the bank heist had also been convicted of attempted burglary in March 2012. This, she said, demonstrated that Xuereb had not changed his ways. "The Mid-Med Bank hold-up and shootout could have had far worse consequences", she said.

One of the convicted thieves, who was jailed for ten years for his part, had testified that the accused was responsible for placing the weapons inside a plastic bag and Xuereb’s fingerprints had indeed been found on this bag.

The three robbers had gained access to the bank after violently assaulting the policeman at the door, holding him against the ground at gunpoint, but were interrupted by members of the Police mobile squad who were inflating a car tyre at an adjacent petrol station at the time.

Two of the robbers were also injured by the police in the resulting shootout, but all three had managed to flee the scene.