Marco Zarb, 23 from Birkirkara, was accused of trying to kill Georgina Borg by throwing her off a three-storey balcony in Gozo on 24 June 2001. She incurred serious injuries from the fall and is now wheelchair-bound for life.

The accused had admitted the crime in a statement to police and had said he meant to kill her for cheating on him with another man. He said he loved her and she had hurt him.

At the time of the incident, Ms Borg was on medication for depression. She was taking an injection a month and a doctor testifying in court said this medication called Hallol is usually used to control those suffering from schizophrenia or manic depression.

Defence attorneys Dr Chris Cardona and Dr Chris Soler suggested the victim had jumped off the balcony herself and they mentioned a chair found at the scene of the crime that Ms Borg could have climbed on to throw herself off the balcony.

In his closing address, prosecuting officer Dr Anthony Barbara said, “He wanted her and could not accept she did not want him, so his love turned into a vendetta.” The crime was premeditated, since the accused mentioned he considered stabbing her in the statement he had made to police.

“God forbid every jilted lover chooses to try and kill the person who rejected them,” he said. The versions of events given by the victim and the accused in his statement are too similar not to be true, claimed the prosecution.

Presiding judge, Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono then explained the points of law to the nine jurors and said it is their final decision on who to believe that is the most important.

After three hours of deliberation the jury came to a guilty verdict with six votes against three. Submissions on punishment by the defence are expected this morning after which the judge will hand down a sentence.