Man accused of attempted murder during Cospicua fight threatens inspector in open court

Court hears how free-for-all fight escalated after accused’s relatives got involved.

Rapid Intervention Unit officers had to be called in to subdue the massive family fight in Cospicua. Photo: Chris Mangion
Rapid Intervention Unit officers had to be called in to subdue the massive family fight in Cospicua. Photo: Chris Mangion

A man facing an attempted murder charge for his involvement in a Cospicua fight, involving over 30 people from two separate families, threatened an inspector in front of a magistrate and was remanded in custody.

The remark was made this afternoon at the end of the compilation of evidence against four brothers for their involvement in a massive fight in Cospicua. The fight took place after an argument during a five-a-side football match the previous evening.

The four brothers, Fredrick Dalli, a 32-year-old car dealer, and his half-brothers, Charlston Cassar, 22, Redent Cassar, 20, and their 17-year-old brother, who cannot be named as he is a minor, are all pleading not guilty to assaulting and to insulting people during a free-for-all-fight in Cospicua involving over 30 people.

Charlston and Redent Cassar are also being charged with the attempted murder of Stephen Brincat.

“Let me tell you, Mr Inspector, if I am not in hospital tomorrow...,” Charlston Cassar, said as he pointed his finger at the police inspector in full view of the magistrate. On his part, police inspector Josric Mifsud asked for protection.

Cassar was not allowed to conclude his sentence as he was stopped by other police officers and by his lawyer and was escorted out of the courtroom. While the accused was being escorted out, the inspector said, “it is your problem,” to which Cassar retorted by saying, “the problem is yours.”

The remarks were made after Cassar’s defence lawyer, Dean Hili, requested bail for Cassar and his brother, Redent Cassar. A decision is expected to be handed down at a later stage as witnesses have yet to testify.

Earlier during the sitting, several police officers testified that on 11 November, at around 11am, Stephen Brincat and his son filed a report at the police station after they were allegedly assaulted by the Cassar brothers.

Police constable Mario Mallia said at one point, Fredrick Dalli drove past the police station and Stephen Brincat punched the car’s bonnet. An hour later, tempers flared again when the accused’s girlfriends and other female relatives started gathering outside the police station.

The constable then said that the situation escalated to a point where over 30 members of the Brincat and Dalli/Cassar families got involved. 

The police officers also testified that during the fight, one of the accused hit Omar Ellul on his head, while another man broke a wooden truncheon on another’s back.

The defence is claiming that members of the Brincat family went to Cospicua and started threatening to kill the brothers and that as a result, the situation got out of control before the fight broke out.

The prosecution however is claiming that it has CCTV footage that shows the brothers walking down the road with metal pipes and wooden sticks.

Lawyer Dean Hili was defence counsel while Inspector Josric Mifsud is leading the prosecution