Police officers have described the late-night search that led to a 12-year-old boy being found seriously injured at White Rocks, as proceedings continued against his father, who is accused of attempting to murder his two children.

The Sicilian man, who cannot be named by court order, has pleaded not guilty to attempting to murder his 12-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter during an incident on 7 March.

The case began after the girl was found alone near White Rocks, while her brother was later discovered injured inside a room in the area and taken to Mater Dei Hospital. Both children have since testified behind closed doors, with the boy giving evidence during a previous sitting.

Testifying today, Superintendent Melvin Camilleri recalled being at the St Julian's police station at around 10pm when a woman arrived with the 10-year-old girl, who appeared "distraught".

The woman had found the girl near White Rocks and took her to the police station. The girl gave the woman her mother's mobile number, allowing her to be contacted, and she arrived at the station shortly afterwards.

Her mother then helped police establish where the incident may have taken place, directing officers towards an area the accused had referred to as Curva dei Cavalli. 

The location had previously been mentioned by the accused during a phone call with the mother on the night of the incident - the same call in which he allegedly told her that their son was in "heaven".

Camilleri said officers initially searched around the area indicated by the mother, with searches carried out both on land and along the coastline and drones also deployed.

However, the superintendent said he was not convinced they were searching in the right place, particularly because of the distance from where the girl had been found. He therefore instructed two officers to extend the search further towards White Rocks.

At around midnight, officers reported finding the boy inside a room at White Rocks, with his father's van nearby. Paramedics were immediately sent to the scene, and the boy was taken to Mater Dei Hospital.

The operation continued as police searched for the accused, with drones and members of the Rapid Intervention Unit assisting in the search.

Sergeant Wayne Borg also took the witness stand, saying he became involved after receiving information that the boy had been found inside one of the rooms at White Rocks and that a van had been located a few metres away.

Borg recalled seeing the boy at around 11:50pm with a significant amount of blood on his face.

As Borg described what he had seen, the accused began crying in the courtroom. His mother-in-law was also present in the courtroom during the sitting.

The prosecution is being led by inspectors Kurt Zahra and lawyers Etienne Savona, Kaylie Bonett, and Anthony Vella.

The accused is being represented by lawyers Gianella De Marco, Charles Mercieca and Conrad Borg Manche, while lawyers Maxilene Pace and Charmaine Cherrett are appearing as parte civile.

Magistrate Franco Agius is presiding over the case.