Dog mauling death: Parts of victim’s body were missing, court hears

A woman who was mauled to death by two dogs last year was found with parts of her body missing, a court heard on Wednesday.

Inez Galea, 95, died of her injuries after being attacked by two pitbulls belonging to her grandson, in September 2020. Andre Galea stands charged with involuntary homicide.

Before magistrate Ian Farrugia, police inspector Colin Sheldon explained how the police had been called by a distraught neighbour who heard the victim’s screams.

The court heard how the dogs had also injured two animal welfare officers after they were seized, and were later euthanised. The woman’s chihuahua had also been bitten, and had to be put down.

Galea, assisted by lawyers Gianluca Caruana Curran and Charles Mercieca, sat in the dock with his head bowed down throughout the sitting.

The inspector said the victim owned the property and had passed on ownership of the nextdoor property to the accused. “He would tell her not to open the yard door,” recalled the inspector.

Asked about the closeness between the victim and the accused, the inspector said Galea would take care of his grandmother, but added that there was no electricity in her residence. The fuse was disconnected. “In Andre’s property, there was no furniture. There he had ten pitbulls.” Galea lived in Paola, the inspector continued.

Galea rehomed some of his dogs after the incident. “He was devastated by the incident,” the inspector said.

Another witness, doctor Alec Scerri, said he had been on the way to the Floriana Health Centre when he was paged to give assistance at Msida.

He said that, upon entering the property he saw a lot of blood on the floor. The victim was lying face down in a pool of blood in the yard.

Part of the victim’s face had been taken off, he said. Part of her lower leg was also missing. The woman had been pronounced dead at the scene.

The case continues in November.