A man from Cospicua has been remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to charges related to the attempted murder of two underage sisters in Marsa last Saturday.

In an arraignment lasting less than five minutes before magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo on Tuesday, the man, 43-year-old Nazzareno Dalli - also known as Ronald - pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder, grievous bodily harm, illegal arrest and attacking the girls.

He was also charged with carrying a knife in public without a police permit and possession of a weapon during the commission of an offence, as well as with cocaine possession and acting as a private guard without a licence. The court was asked to consider the defendant as a recidivist.  

No details about the incident emerged during the very brief arraignment. Bail was not requested at this stage.

The police on Saturday had said that two teenage sisters were stabbed in Marsa. One of them was in critical condition, the police said.

The attack took place in their residence in San Tumas Street at 1.30pm.

The man entered the residence and stabbed the two youngsters, aged 12 and 15, the police said.

The 12-year-old was taken to hospital with serious injuries. The 15-year-old girl suffered grievous injuries.

A 14-year-old boy who was in the residence at the time of the aggression was unhurt but is suffering from shock.

The aggressor, aged 43, had been arrested by the police some time later in his hometown, Cospicua.

Magistrate Victor Axiaq is leading an inquiry.

At the end of today's sitting, Dalli’s relatives hugged and patted him on the back, before he was led away from the courtroom.

Inspectors Wayne Camilleri and Ian Vella are prosecuting, assisted by lawyers Etienne Savona and Manuel Grech from the Office of the Attorney General.

Lawyers Arthur Azzopardi, Nicholas Mifsud and Franco Debono are defence counsel.