A Swedish woman who was attacked and beaten whilst sunbathing near the coast in Valletta back in August has told a court of how she thought she was going to die.
Tearful Anna Karsbjer described her sense of terror when 33 year old Fredrick Mifsud jumped on her and grabbed her by the head on 28 August, beating her aggressively and breaking her nose.
During a very emotional testimony, Karsbjer broke down sobbing multiple times as she explained how the incident had left her traumatised and how she has suffered from nightmares since.
Mifsud allegedly attacked her whilst she was speaking to her father on the phone about her mother’s upcoming birthday. At the time Karsbjer had been sunbathing when she noticed a man walking nearby and approaching her. She told the court that she felt him touching her legs, and had given a running commentary of what was happening to her father.
“When I saw him do this (touch her legs), I told him to keep his distance because of COVID-19 and heard him saying something to the effect that he was fishing. He had a small net in his hand. I carried on talking to my dad. About 30 seconds later, he jumped on top of me… I thought he had tripped and fallen at first.”
She explained that he started beating her up whilst she was still on the line with her father.
“I thought he was going to either rape or kill me. I tried to escape but I couldn’t. Then suddenly he stopped and got up and left.”
Testifying before magistrate Nadine Lia, Karsbjer said that she then started to call for help and stopped a passing man “in deep shock.”
After that the police arrived and photographed her injuries and then she was escorted home. She then had gone to St. James Hospital for X-rays and was given medication and was warned that her injuries may also impact her eyesight.
Lawyer Marion Camilleri, defence counsel together with lawyer Franco Debono asked Karsbjer whether she knew if the man spoke English, to which she replied that the word “COVID-19” was international and that Mifsud should have understood what she wanted to tell him.
She insisted that she did not want the man to be closer to her.
During his interrogation, Mifsud had admitted to attacking the woman, the court was told.
Police Inspector Daryl Borg is prosecuting.
The case continues on 5 November.