A Criminal court has granted lawyer Patrick Spiteri bail on the basis of his medical condition, ruling that he would be in an environment which keeps damage to his health at a minimum.
But this does not mean that Spiteri is able to leave prison just yet, in view of the fact that this is only one of five cases that the disbarred lawyer is facing in court.
Having reviewed previous requests for bail, an appeal by the Attorney General against the granting of bail, the conditions that would be imposed and Spiteri’s medical condition, the criminal court presided over by Mr Justice Antonio Mizzi today acceded the request. Whether the Court of Magistrates will also agree on bail remains to be seen.
Just last week, Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera turned down two separate almost identical requests contesting the validity of Spiteri’s arrest through a European Arrest warrant. Two requests were filed due to the pending case he has before two magistrates.
Spiteri was extradited from Surrey in 2017, where he had been residing, to face charges of fraud and misappropriating some €7.4 million.
Maltese authorities brought him to face trial from the UK after three attempts. He had escaped from custody the first time, and on the second occasion he resisted being extradited on the basis that he had a medical condition.
Spiteri had been living permanently in the UK since January of 2014. He resided in a €4 million country estate.
He previously made several requests to be released on bail, primarily citing health reasons, and that he is unable to physically access many box-files of documents he says he needs for his defence, some of which are held in court and partly at a Guardamangia property. All such requests were ultimately denied.
In one of the most recent requests for bail, Magistrate Claire Stafrace granted the request under strict conditions that would amount to house arrest. This was appealed by the Attorney General and Madam Justice Edwina Grima ruled in favour of the AG because the ‘house arrest’ conditions were not an appropriate form of bail.
Following this, the validity of arrest was called into question, but this was also denied by the courts. Bail has now been granted by Mr Justice Antonio Mizzi after having reviewed the above proceedings.
The conditions of bail are a deposit of €15,000 and a personal guarantee of €25,000. Spiteri would have also had to sign bail book at a police station in St Julian’s on a daily basis.
Inspectors Ian Abdilla and Helga Debono are prosecuting, while lawyer Stefano Filletti represents the accused.