Following just over two hours of deliberation, a panel of jurors yesterday declared that a man accused of killing his partner by stabbing her 47 times was sane when he allegedly committed the crime.

The jurors returned with their verdict the day after hearing four psychiatrists declare that, in their professional opinion, 31-year-old David Norbert Schembri, from Sliema, was sane when he allegedly stabbed 32-year-old Josette Scicluna to death in her apartment in Carmen Mallia Street in San Gwann in the presence of their seven-year-old daughter at around 6.30pm on 3 May 2004.

Now that the jurors have declared that Mr Schembri was sane, the court has postponed the case indefinitely for the trial by jury to be appointed on another date. This time, the jurors will be asked to decide on the charges in the bill of indictment. The bill alleges that Mr Schembri entered the apartment after shooting a firearm at the front door. It also alleges that he took hold of a knife and stabbed Ms Scicluna to death. Mr Schembri is also accused of possessing an illegal weapon.

The jurors deliberated for just over two hours before reaching their verdict, by eight votes to one, that Mr Schembri was sane according to law when he allegedly committed the crimes mentioned in the bill of indictment. In addition, they declared him sane, also by eight votes to one, when he was allegedly in possession of an unlicenced weapon.

During the trial by jury to decide on a plea of insanity, the jurors heard that Mr Schembri was a drug and alcohol addict, had no psychological problems and had had a relatively normal childhood.

The four psychiatrists appointed by the court to assess Mr Schembri’s mental condition told the jurors that, in their professional opinion, Mr Schembri was completely sane.

Following the jurors’ verdict and Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono’s judgement to defer the case sine die until it is re-appointed for a trial by jury, the defence lawyers informed the court that they intend to appeal against the verdict.

In the meantime, the accused will remain in preventive custody.

Senior Counsel to the Republic Anthony Barbara prosecuted. Dr Joseph Giglio and Dr Edward Gatt appeared for the accused while Dr Giannella Caruana Curran appeared parte civile for the victim and her family.