Magistrate Joe Mifsud today ruled that there is enough evidence for Liam Debono to face a trial by jury for the attempted murder of Simon Schembri, the police officer who was hit by a car driven by the youngster and dragged for several metres.

Schembri suffered serious injuries and spent a few days in intensive care before being moved to another wing at Mater Dei Hospital where he continues his recovery.

Earlier in the sitting, a policeman stationed at the Luqa police station who was working on the day of the incident testified that he received a telephone call at the station - coming from the police control room - saying that a policeman had been involved in a hit and run.

He left the station and went to where he was told the policeman injured in the incident was... as he was approaching the scene, he noticed long tyre marks.

Once at the scene, he saw the injured policeman on the ground. "He had such serious injuries that I couldn't even get myself to look at him." A paramedic was giving him first aid. Sometime later an ambulance arrived. We then spoke to witnesses at the scene, the policeman said.

All the witnesses he spoke to said a silver Mercedes Benz had been involved in the accident.

"I was told later that the person allegedly involved was stopped at Hal Farrug," the policeman said.

"We went there, and found the car along with Liam Debono, who had been arrested. He was in handcuffs, and two RIU officers were with him,"

"When at General Police HQ for more investigation, we realised the licence on the Mercedes Benz did not match the number plate. We checked the number plate and it resulted that it was of a Ford Escort," he said.

Kenneth Darmanin, a witness of the incident, told the court that he was in the office of his business which was in the proximity of where the incident happened.

He had a window opened and at one point he heard a loud breaking noise. He looked out of the window towards the main road and saw a grey Mercedes skidding.

"We - myself and my employees - saw something at the bottom of the car. At first we thought it was a car bumper under the car's running board - it was black. When this thing was dislodged from under the car, we realised it was a human being. I went towards this person, and as I was walking I called emergency. When I arrived next to him - I was still on the phone with emergency - I realised it was a police officer.

"Somebody else then stopped his car to help. We tried to find something to put around the policeman's arm. I went next to the police officer - at that time I did not even know if he was dead or alive as he wasn't moving. I told him that I had called an ambulance to come for him, but he didn't give me any response.

A first aider who got there started telling the police officer "Simon, stay with me. Simon, stay with me," Darmanin said. 

The telephone call between Darmanin and emergency was played in court. Darmanin sounded very agitated, and insisted that help is sent immediately. Emergency asks for the car's number plate - Darmanin says it's KAS686. Darmanin says "just send someone!" 

Vincent Ciliberti, a court expert for 33 years, passed on photos taken at the scene to the magistrate.

Christopher Mamo, a civilian who was also an eyewitness, said that at around 7.30am he was on his way to work at San Vincenz. "I was coming from the direction of the airport and driving towards Qormi.

"On the way, at first I do not remember seeing anything. Then I remember horns, and looked in my car's rear view mirror. I saw a car approaching at substantial speed. The car was a Mercedes - I recognised its badge - I remember I had already seen that car earlier that day during my trip. I couldn't recognise the exact colour as my rear windscreen was a bit dirty - but it was a light colour, silverish.

"I had earlier seen the Mercedes driving as I was driving through the Ghaxaq bypass. He had tried to overtake me from the left. I recognised this was the same car as I saw the sticker on the car - a yellow sticker with writing in cursive. At the time I did not recognise what the words were on the sticker. But I remember seeing that sticker earlier in the Ghaxaq bypass. The sticker was on the front windscreen - I saw it through my rear view mirror.

"During the Ghaxaq bypass sighting - when I saw the car for the first time - I thought the car was coming for me, because of its speed. I had to swerve to try to avoid a collision. I undertook three manoeuvres to avoid him. When I did my last manoeuvre, his car took the exit to the Hal Farrug industrial estate. This road is not a road to drive fast in, especially at the time of day.

"Shortly later I saw the car for the second time - it was clear to me that was the car I had seen before [when he had taken the exit road shortly before, I thought 'iffrankajta' because I thought he was coming for me] - I saw an object on the ground - I did not" know if the car was under the car or if it had been hit by the car.

"I then realised, in a split second, that it was not an object but a human being. I saw a helmet and other things which do not belong to an inanimate object. I stopped my car and got out. I spoke to a person who was there and asked if he had called an ambulance. I don't even know what he replied. I called emergency, and then police officers arrived. "

The emergency call was played in court: Christopher Mamo can be heard telling emergency that someone ran over someone else... that someone else had a motorcycle close by. He told emergency where the accident had happened. Emergency told him they already had been informed about it.

Christopher Mamo then called emergency for a second time - on instructions of the police officers who had arrived at the scene - to give them the number plate of the car which had ran over the policeman. He said it was KAS686 and the car was a Mercedes. Emergency, incredulously, asked, "Did that guy keep going?!", to which he replied "Yes."

Defence lawyer Franco Debono now asking Mamo why he felt he had to call emergency for a second time, given there were already police officers at the scene. Mamo said he had been told to do so by the police on the scene.

"When I first exited my car, only I and the other person who I asked if he had called emergency, were on the scene. I have a medical background," Mamo said, explaining this is why he had stayed on the scene even after the police arrived.

The compilation of evidence continues in July.