A man who is accused, together with an accomplice, of trying to burn his partner's sister alive in a car as she sat there with her son, has been released on bail.

The attack took place last July in Triq il-Berebis, Zabbar, when 27-year-old Alvin Pullicino is said to have ambushed a car driven by his partner's sister and poured fuel on it, before opening the car door and splashing the accelerant on the woman. After both of the vehicle's occupants managed to get out of the car, the accused is reported to have cornered the woman, wrapped a chain around her neck and threatened to set her alight with a lighter, but stopped short. Pullicino has been in custody since then.

In a decree handed down this afternoon, Judge Antonio Mizzi, presiding the Criminal Court, granted the man temporary release from arrest against a deposit of €10,000 and a personal guarantee of €50,000. He is also to sign a bail book every day and observe a curfew.

Lawyers Ishmael Psaila and Alfred Abela were defence counsel.

Inspector Christabel Chetcuti is prosecuting.