52-year-old jeweller Michael Mizzi, owner of ‘The Gold Market’ shop in Attard, who on 3 December was the target of a hold-up during which his 25-year-old son Silvio shot at one of the aggressors in the leg after snatching a shotgun from him, yesterday testified in court.

The shot aggressor was Darren Debono, 33, from Marsascala, also known as It-Topo, who later admitted his involvement in the hold-up and pleaded guilty to charges of attempted aggravated theft, holding Mr Mizzi against his will and injuring him in his head with a wheel brace.

Another of the aggressors, 36-year-old Fabio Psaila from Santa Venera, is pleading not guilty to his involvement in the hold-up.

Both Mr Debono and Mr Psaila allegedly formed part of a criminal gang masterminded by former police inspector turned lawyer David Gatt.

Mr Mizzi told the court yesterday that on the day of the hold-up, he and his son drove home in separate cars after he closed his shop just after 8pm.

Mr Mizzi said he got out of his car after parking it in front of his house. Moments after, however, and carrying with him a briefcase containing around €4,000 in money and items of jewellery, Mr Mizzi said he was attacked by three persons, all armed, with one of them hitting him on his head with a wheel brace.

Mr Mizzi said he fell to the ground, and as he tried to stand up, another aggressor again hit him on the head. Moments after, the aggressors ran away, and when he finally managed to get up, he saw another person lying on the ground and thought it was his son. However, he noticed that the person was wearing a balaclava, and took it off to see “whether he was someone whom I knew”.

It later turned out that the man was Darren Debono, whom he had never before seen in his life.

Also testifying yesterday was Mr Mizzi’s son Silvio. He said that he followed his father in his car on their way home after a day’s work. His father arrived before him, and shortly after parking and getting out of his car, Silvio Mizzi said he noticed three robbers attempting a hold-up on his father.

At that point, Silvio Mizzi said he rushed out of his car to help his father, surprising the robbers by his appearance. He said one of the aggressors let slip a firearm, which fell to the ground. He immediately snatched it, and pulled the trigger in the direction to the aggressor closest to his father and hit him in his leg. The gunshot scared the other two robbers, who fled from the scene of crime.

The case continues. Representing Michael Mizzi and his son as parte civile is lawyer Michael Sciriha, while lawyers Manwel Mallia and Arthur Azzopardi are defending Mr Psaila.