Updated at 7:57pm with db Group statement
A group of drunken Maltese individuals ‘terrorised’ a hotel last weekend, according to witnesses who testified in court as an English national appeared in the dock after grievously punching one of them.
Liam Joseph Stacey, a 29-year-old self-employed British national was arraigned and appeared in court on Monday. He pleaded not guilty to the charges, with the validity of the arrest not being contested.
According to a witness, the scene unfolded after Stacey was slapped in the face by one of the Maltese men, causing him to fall over his toddler daughter. The British national, it was said, stood up and punched the man in retaliation.
The sitting was suspended after the parties approached the bench and discussed the case out of earshot. It was later clarified that this had been done so that the medical state of the alleged victim could be discussed in such a manner that sensitive details would not be revealed in open court, and this in view of his absence.
Once proceedings resumed, the court heard three different witnesses recount the harrowing scenes which ensued last Saturday at the db Seabank Resort in Mellieha.
Tonya Cook, a British senior police officer with 25 years of experience in high-profile investigations, told the court how a group of seven to eight Maltese individuals arrived that morning and began to drink heavily. The group had a baby and according to Cook were spilling their drinks and even hanging the baby upside down.
After having lunch with her husband, Cook returned and found the group removing personal items of the guests from their sunbeds so that they could get sunbeds where they wanted. She recalled feeling uncomfortable due to their aggressive demeanour.
Later on, the witness went to the ‘adults only’ section of the pool with her friends. She heard screams from the main area and saw one man in red shorts shouting at a woman and pulling her hair. At this juncture, Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech asked the witness whether there was security at the hotel, with the witness replying in the negative.
Cook also described the pool as being full of a woman’s hair and having a strange colour. Although she and her friends had asked hotel staff to intervene, the latter replied that they would not get involved.
After looking for her children, Cook found a crowd around a Maltese man on the floor as well as her friend, an emergency doctor, performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on the man. The man, she said, was ‘turning blue’.
The witness also recalled seeing the man in the red shorts running towards the exit, hitting people as he went through and making strange noises. Although she pleaded with hotel staff to lock the doors, the latter refused since this man was a paying guest.
Cook managed to hold the man and even asked police officers to arrest him. Although he was detained, he was later released once he began to cry. The witness then stopped a cleaner from cleaning the area of the incident and taped it off herself, citing that it could be a crime scene if someone were to die.
The British officer then recalled her encounter with the defendant’s partner, Natasha Jerrard, who she described as being ‘absolutely distraught’. After helping Jerrard to her room, Cook was informed by Stacey that he pushed someone who had punched him.
‘A ruined holiday’
Cook told the Court that ‘guests were terrified’ and that she ‘did not come to Malta to feel scared’, but due to the fact that she ‘loves the island and thinks it is a safe place’. She recalled how around 20 to 30 people had complained to the hotel about the group’s behaviour to no avail, and how she raised the incident with her respective package holiday provider.
She also stated that the incident could have been avoided had the hotel removed the group and vowed to assist the court as much as possible should her help be required.
The court thanked Cook and ordered that a transcript of her testimony be forwarded to the Commissioner of Police.
Stacey punched man after being pushed over his daughter
Martin Wesley, the partner of Stacey’s mother, also provided testimony and referred to the group of Maltese individuals who were ‘drinking loads’.
According to Wesley, Stacey had told the group to be quiet inasmuch as they had been upsetting the children.
Commenting on a video displayed during the sitting, he stated that this showed Stacey after he had been slapped, with the children being just out of frame. He told the court that Stacey punched the man in retaliation after being slapped, causing him to fall over his daughter.
Natasha Jerrard also testified that one of the men had come up to, and slapped Stacey, causing him to fall on their two-year-old. She further stated that her partner got up and punched the man, who fell on the ground. The witness, visibly shaken, was reassured by Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech who urged her to remain calm. She also recalled asking hotel staff to stop serving the group alcohol prior to the incident.
Bail granted, case adjourned to Wednesday
Bail was requested, with defence lawyer Stefano Filletti noting that his client had absolutely no intention of fighting anyone, but rather stayed at the hotel with his family for leisure purposes. He argued that whilst there was no doubt that the accused did indeed throw some punches in the video displayed, these had to be contextualised inasmuch as Stacey had merely protected his family from those who were “terrorising the hotel”.
It was argued that the fear of absconding and tampering with evidence was minimal.
Bail was granted against a personal guarantee of €1,000.
Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech presided over the court.
Inspectors Bradley Grima and Clayton Camilleri prosecuted with the assistance of AG lawyer Brandon Bonnici.
Defence lawyer Stefano Filletti assisted the accused.
db Group condemns incident
Following coverage of the incident, the db Group condemned all violence and inappropriate behaviour.
“db Group is treating this matter with the utmost seriousness and has launched internal investigation. db Group is fully cooperating with all the relevant authorities to ensure transparency and accountability. In addition, we have also taken other preemptive actions such as strengthening of security measures and a review of our admissions policy. ”
The company said that if it shortcomings from staff members come to light, “disciplinary action will be taken without any hesitation.”